SRUC: Remote Data Capture in the Uplands

Hill & Mountain Research Centre.  Photo:SRUC

SRUC is trialling a remote data capture system at the Hill & Mountain Research Centre at Kirkton, near Crianlarich.

Davy McCracken is looking for thoughts on what sort of data obtained by sensors, either fitted to animals or in the environment, would be useful to help inform any management decisions in remote upland areas.  The presentation provides some background (see below).  The type of data collected is the type that can be transmitted in small packets (i.e. not streaming of videos etc) over a radio frequency network.

Technology exists to build sensors but it is not clear what type of data, and hence sensors, would be useful to upland land managers. Davy is trying to pull together thoughts on uses to inform discussions and any thoughts will be appreciated.  It does not matter whether a sensor exists or not, as the point is to think outside the box to identify the type of data it would be useful to obtain, which currently may be difficult (or impossible) to gather.

Note that the ‘masts’ are only about 1m long and they cost c. £1K, or less, to buy.  Each mast can form a 10 mile radius radio network in rural areas and theoretically can take data from 10,000 sensors! So it is possible to think in terms of an array of sensors and not be confined to single sensors located at single points

Davy cannot be at the Forum meeting on 2 March, but he will be happy to speak to anyone who would like further information.

The presentation about this is on the Briefings page of the Forum's website, along with a form to use to provide a guide to the information that Davy is seeking. Please contact Davy direct, or forward any e-mail traffic to the Forum.