One of the main aspirations of Soton UAV is to develop technology that can help protect communities, the environment, and the endangered fauna. Using unmanned aircraft, we can deploy sensors in remote and difficult to access locations, helping scientists and environment-agencies to collect the data necessary for prevention and protection of the environment. We do this by monitoring forest fires in the Amazon, volcanos in Central America, and wildlife in Africa.
The Turner-Kirk UAV research support programme provides the resources to our researchers and students to explore innovative technological solutions to fly these missions in the most challenging of these environments. We are deeply grateful for this philanthropic gift, which encourages further engagement with this critical agenda.
I am delighted to be supporting the research and development of fixed wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) with a view to using them for surveillance purposes in conservation and anti-poaching environments. I was inspired to consider whether a drone with a long flying time could patrol a wide area to help in areas like the Kalahari Desert where rhino in particular are under threat. I was impressed by the knowledge and expertise of the UAV team here at Southampton and am pleased to be funding such an interesting and forward-thinking engineering project.
— Ewan Kirk