STOPPING POACHERS

Across Africa, an elephant is killed every 14 minutes, and a rhino is slaughtered every 10 hours. At this rate, elephants and rhinos will be extinct within 10 years, but not if Air Shepherd has anything to say about it. This pioneering group combines advanced surveillance drone technology with ranger teams on the ground to stop poachers in their tracks.

After police partners or the government tells Air Shepherd about a group of poachers or a location they are expected to target, one of 40 pilots takes to the skies at night, when the poachers are most likely to strike. Equipped with regular and infrared cameras, the drones transmit data in real time so that ground-based artificial intelligence software can analyze the situation and, if needed, alert nearby rangers who can intercept the suspects. Since their launch, Air Shepherd has flown 5,000 flight hours and 4,000 missions in three countries, saving countless animals.