The ACPU - Advanced Conservation and Protection Unit
The ACPU© is a concept
The typical conservation scenario involves a large landmass with difficult terrain visibility and mobility, versus natural events, disasters and small, flexible and area-savvy adversaries capable of striking, undetected, on a daily basis.
Despite moderately good training and basic tools, the use of quality technological solutions is lacking, rendering rangers incapable of performing proactively, "Owning the night" and receiving early warnings before damage is done. The frustrating daily reality is propagated further by the lack of coherent strategies and repeated failed attempts at technology with no thorough plan or process, as companies attempt to sell their conservation products as perfect solutions.
Our goal should be to assist in the creation of clear strategies and facilitate the introduction of appropriate tools to carry it out – from selection to deployment.
This is the sphere to which the ACPU is introduced. Primarily a concept and not a prepackaged, marketed solution – a modular mobile ranger unit with high-end sensors, aimed at overcoming specific barriers, providing rangers with extended range and proactive effectiveness.
The ACPU does not use a specific system but is rather redesigned for each site's specific needs. It is not meant to replace a ranger unit but to empower and extend the coverage and operational possibilities available to existing units to cover an area even 1000 times larger than is currently possible. The concept consists of high-performance, state of the art ground and aerial elements integrated into one unit and in time, connected to a central command, assuring the best and cost-effective solution to the detection, surveillance, management and response functionalities in the conservation and anti-poaching efforts.
For The full ACPU paper go to:
http://media.wix.com/ugd/bacf2b_c4db890e7d3c4983ae2cb6093ffdf265.pdf
Key Capabilities/Values
Coverage – Enables a vehicle unit to extend its actual ground coverage.
Early detection – Enables rangers to detect and investigate illicit activities or intrusion prior to conflict or damage.
Adaptability/Modularity – The system can be designed and integrated per each site's specific needs, seasonal or others, while keeping its interface open for the introduction of new and/or different components.
Parallel abilities – Several sensors enable a team to survey the area's conditions and form the timeliest reaction, using the most incident-appropriate tool.
Mobility – Enables managers to plan and pursue efficient ISR activity according to current threats and needs, with the ability to cover much larger areas.
Overcoming nighttime and weather challenges – The system provides various tools that enable rangers to operate undetected at night, or under poor weather conditions, while maintaining operational agility.
Empowerment – Local ranger units are not replaced but rather empowered by several ACP units providing real-time data and increasing efficiency and proactive activities.
Complementary – The system provides information to and on all levels of conservation efforts, meeting management, protection, security and even research needs
Efficiency – Beyond extending unit coverage, the system enables continuous surveillance even beyond the normal line of sight, while coordinating multiple activities and having operations come full circle.
End to End – The system enables pre-mission planning, provides real time warning, while recording data for post-mission analysis and as evidence in any judiciary processes that may follow.
Simple interface– All systems integrated on the ACPU are selected for their user-friendly interface, and when possible, for their automatic warning and detection features.
