WALAILAK UNIVERSITY VETERINARY FACULTY AND STUDENTS DEVELOP DRONE FOR ADMINISTERING MEDICATION TO WILDLIFE AND ELEPHANTS

Drones are becoming a safer and more practical solution for treating wildlife and large animals such as elephants.
Dart guns are commonly used to administer medication to animals that are difficult to approach, but they have limitations in range and may pose risks to the operator.
Drone-based systems allow the operator to stay more than 500 meters away, increasing safety for both the handler and the animals.

The research team from Walailak University consisted of Asst. Prof. Dr. Manoch Yindee, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tuempong Wongtawan, and Mr. Patcharapol KhumNgern, a recent graduate. They developed a small drone and tested its flight by launching darts at pigskin from heights over 5 meters and within a 500-meter range.

The results showed that the drone could accurately shoot darts at a distance of 5 meters, achieving a 100% hit rate. When flying above 7 meters, the accuracy decreased to 70%.
Even at higher altitudes, the drone remained effective and did not startle the elephants due to its small size.

The results have been published in the journal Drone Systems and Applications.