eBee Classic

SenseFly created the eBee Classic, a drone, which, as you might guess, looks like a bee, to assist in the visual modelling of remote areas. The eBee is light—weighing about a pound— and isn’t controlled remotely; once launched, it autonomously flies through a predetermined route. It is fitted with cameras that capture ground images that can capture 1.5 cm of distance per pixel, creating an incredibly detailed aerial photo. The collected data can be downloaded from the eBee and converted into any number of output forms, such as a raster file, DEM, or index map‚— common base maps for topographical studies. The intended purpose of the eBee is to model a wide range of topographies, including those that are not generally accessible to land surveyors. This could be a huge boon for researchers wanting to map species’ environments, plan research expeditions, or do any other environmental monitoring and modelling work. The downside to this technology, as with many other advanced technologies, is its accessibility. It is expensive, and depending on the type of analysis the user intends to do, a species-specific software might need to be purchased, adding yet another expense.

Sensefly. “eBee Classic.” Accessed June 29, 2020. https://www.sensefly.com/drone/ebee-mapping-drone/

Friedrich, Johanna. “Possibilities in UAV monitoring on grassland vegetation.” In Merensky Young Scientist Seminar: Valuation and Evaluation of Forest Resources, p. 39. by: Department of Forest and Wood Science, Faculty of AgriSciences, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag XI, Matieland, 7602, South Africa, 2018.

More Ideas

Air Pollution Robot

The dangers of air pollution to human health are well documented, though the traditional methodology of collecting and reporting on sample lags behind the need to keep abreast and regulate air pollution in a meaningful amount of time. The use of drones and robots have been identified by researchers as resources that can be tweaked […]

Artificial Life, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Ecological Monitoring, Industry/Natural Commodities, Lifestyle, Monitoring

Telematic Rivers

Erica Kermani’s artwork seeks to answer a central question: if rivers were seeing an equal, living entity, would humans take issues like climate change threatening them more seriously? In his year-long art exhibition in 2017, Kermani, in collaboration with Diana Salcedo & Jeana Chesnik, created a new forum of interaction between humans and rivers to […]

Climate Change, Ecological Monitoring, Lifestyle, Monitoring, Pollution, Visual Technologies

Co-occupied Boundaries

Art is easily found in nature but rarely is what considered art today inherently natural. The concept of co-occupied mediums that serve to be both functional for nature and aesthetically pleasing to people is being actively explored by Asya Ilgun and Phil Ayres, from the CITAstudio at The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. In […]

Climate Change, Ecological Monitoring, Lifestyle, Monitoring, Pollution, Visual Technologies