FAO
REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) Use of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) for desert locust monitoring and control services for FAO Request for information

Reference: FAO/RFI/Drones-2016
Beneficiary countries: Multiple destinations (see 'Countries' tab below)
Registration level: Basic
Published on: 17-Nov-2016
Deadline on: 15-Jan-2017 12:38 (GMT 1.00)

Description

Introduction:

 

The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is to obtain preliminary information on the availability of potential vendors to provide solutions enabling FAO, within the context on Desert Locust early warning and preventive control systems, to better its monitoring activities through the use of fixed and rotary wing unmanned aerial vehicles (hereinafter UAV), commonly called ‘drones’.

 

Vast areas of remote desert which include some of the world’s poorest countries are regularly monitored for Desert Locust by national ground teams in 4WD vehicles. These areas have no mobile or internet coverage and are several days drive or more from the National Locust Centers. Although satellite-based estimates of rainfall and green vegetation are utilized to reduce and prioritize these large and potentially suitable areas, imagery suffer from omission errors and are often not available in time. Aerial surveys are usually not possible due to high costs and unavailable aircrafts. Consequently, there is a need to supplement these tools with additional technologies to guide ground teams to green vegetation and locust infestations.

 

The use of fixed and rotary wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), commonly called drones, could be a potential means of improving Desert Locust monitoring, early warning and rapid control, and reducing the costs of survey and control. 

 

The information gathered from this RFI will be used by FAO to confirm or infirm that assumption and to determine the feasibility, scope, timeframe and resources required by FAO.

 

 

Specific Requirements

 

FAO is thus looking for solutions to improve the Desert Locust monitoring, early warning and rapid control system and to reduce the costs of survey and control.

 

The operational use of drones in nearly 20 frontline countries affected by the Desert Locust is envisaged to consist of the following three-step approach.

For full details, please see the attached file.