E-Track develops a next generation animal tracker with higher precision using the EGNOS system.

1. SatelliteNavigation
for
BehaviourAnalysis
Tamme van der Wal (AeroVision)
Andrea Kölzsch (NIOO-KNAW)
Lucas Noldus (Noldus IT)

2. E-Track: the project
Next generation GNSS animal tracker:
• High precision;
• Detecting and analysing animal behaviour;
• An end-to-end system:
– Tags (EGNOS enabled);
– Data acquisition tools;
– Data visualisation tools;
– Data analysis tools;
• Test on birds and mammals;
• Demonstrate commercial feasibility.
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3. Frommovement tracks to
behaviouralpatterns
Data reduction & distillation:
Position-Velocity-Time (PVT)  relevant behaviour:
• Good enough spatial resolution;
– Better than 1 meter;
• Good enough temporal resolution;
– Better than once per 5 minutes sampling;
• All conditions – also wooded / hilly terrain.
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4. Examples of relevant behaviour
Automatic detection: Biologists interest:
• (Home range („extent‟ / Utilisation • Walking
function)) • Resting/sleeping
• Locomotion (e.g. distance • Foraging
moved, velocity, acceleration)
• Exploring a new region
• Spatial behaviour (zone
entry/exit, time in zone, distance to • Escaping from a predator
zone/point, zone transition, heading to • Flying short distances
point)
• Flying long distances/fast =
• Path shape (turn angle, heading)
migration
• Body
• Mating
posture, orientation, behaviour
pattern • Swimming, diving
(mobility/immobility, stop/walk/run, stand • Preening ...
/lie, grazing, rotation)
• Social behaviour (relative distance:
in proximity, contact; relative movement:
move towards, move away from)
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5. End-to-End System
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6. What is it all good for?
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7. What is it all good for?
• Incidents (collisions, damage etc.);
• Explanation of behaviour impacts;
• Interaction with environment;
• Social behaviour;
• Deviating behaviour;
• Spatial planning;
• Real Time Guidance / Correction / Instruction.
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8. State-of-the-Art Tags
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9. State-of-Art Tags
Tag weight 3-5% body weight
1200
Battery life time [days]
1000
micro sensors 10-50 gr
800 "midi sensors" 250-1250 gr
"mini sensors" 50-250 gr
600
400
200
0
0.0001 0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10
Sampling period (one sample per …) *hours+
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10. Current Practice GNSS Animal tracking
GNSS Tag:
• 12,5 gr. – 1250 gr.;
• Attachment: Glue, harness, Neck ring; Neck collar;
• Sampling rates: / day, / 4hours … / minute;
• Energy mgt: batteries; power saving settings;
• Tag retrieval: RC Drop-off; Catch/kill;
Data Retrieval:
• Store-On-Board (SOB) repossession;
• Short range transmission  reencounter;
• Network transmission  GPRS, satellite communication;
Software:
• R;
• ArcGIS;
• Dedicated software packages;
• Homebrew software.
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11. What would be the one thing to
change to your current system …
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12. Data Analysis
prototype
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13. GNSS EGNOS
-“DGPS is expensive”
-“DGP … what??”
-“Tag becomes too heavy”
-…
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14. EGNOS or EDAS
EuropeanGeostationaryNavigationOverlay Service
EGNOS Data Access Service (EDAS)
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15. User Requirements
• The position of the animal:
– < 1 meter (absolute or relative?); < 5 minutes;
– EGNOS and/or EDAS (post processing);
• Data reception:
– Download opportunities (GPRS, Argos/Iridium, …);
• Additional sensors:
– Accelerometer
– Proximity detector
• Software: Integrated
– Data processing, (re)formatting
– Visualisation
– Annotation
– Standard/up-to-date algorithms
– DYO analyses
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16. E-Track
CHALLENGES:
• Balance tag weight with
expectations of sampling
frequency and accuracy;
• Integrating EGNOS – in
particular in “wildlife
environments”;
• Developing an end-to-end
system (plug&play?
mix&match?
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17. Thankyouforyour attention.
Meet us at:
E-Track is carried out in the context of the Galileo FP7 R&D programme
supervised by the GSA. (nr. 277679-2). For more information, please check
www.etrack-project.eu .
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