https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Thermal Drone with Night Vision Monitoring Elephant Movement in Gadchiroli

Varsha forest division in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra, is using UAV thermal drone to monitor elephant movement. Every year, elephants enter this area from neigbouring states, but this time, they came earlier than expected. As it was difficult to track them at night as normal drones cannot capture visuals in the dark, the forest department decided to bring in drone with night vision.
Indian Masterminds Stories

In another instance of effective use of technology to avert man-animal conflict, the Gadchiroli forest division in Maharashtra has started using UAV thermal drones to track and monitor elephant movement, with the aim of ensuring the safety of both the tuskers and humans. Results are very positive as this has helped keep the elephants away from the houses and farming land of the farmers of the area.

Indian Masterminds interacted with 2019-batch IFS officer Dhananjay Waybhase, who is the Deputy Conservator of Forest, Varsha division, Gadchiroli, to know more about the implementation of the new initiative.

IFS officer Dhananjay Waybhase with his family at his office

ELPEHANT-HUMAN CONFLICT

In Maharashtra, almost every year, herds of elephants enter from the neighbouring states after the rainy season and go away in the winter season. But, this time, the elephants came earlier. A herd of 23-25 elephants entered Gadchiroli forest division in August. Considering the terrain here and the general movement time (evening and night) of the herd, it is challenging to monitor them on foot. Hence, the forest department sought help from two NGOs, Pune-based RESQ and West Bengal-based Stripes And Green Earth Foundation (SAGE) to track the pachyderms’ movement.

Monitoring the movement

UAV THERMAL DRONE IMAGING

RESQ’s UAV thermal drone imaging team and a seven-member SAGE team travelled to Gadchiroli and started working with the forest department of Varsha division to determine the herd composition, its movement and behavioural pattern. Under the leadership of IFS officer Dhananjay Waybhase, the monitoring of the herds with the drones began.

UAV Thermal Drone imaging is safe both for the elephants and the humans involved, as it can be done from a distance. It is quite silent and observes the elephants post dark from a height of 100 ft without disturbing them. While sincere efforts are being put to prevent human-elephant conflict, the herd often ventures out of the forest patch post dark and causes a fair amount of damage to the crops of local farmers and homes of the villagers. But this time, forest officials are minimizing the damage due to better monitoring with the thermal drones.

RESQ Team

HIGHLY EFFECTIVE

Speaking with Indian Masterminds, Mr. Waybhase said, “This time, the elephants came earlier than expected. Due to their sudden arrival, we had to change our plans. In our area, the elephants are more active from 6 in the evening to 7 in the morning. Therefore monitoring becomes very important at night, but the normal drones cannot capture visuals in the dark. Hence, a drone with night vision was needed. RESQ Charitable Trust provided us UAV Thermal Drone and technical expertise free of cost.”

Whenever elephants come out of the forest area to the agriculture fields,the teams gets active and monitor their movement. Three teams have been formed. Day monitoring team, night patrolling team, and Panchnama Team, which evaluates compensation for victims.

Interacting with villagers

COMPENSATION POLICY

In Maharashtra, farmer who incurs lossesfrom wild animals’ attack or movement are compensated by the government. “Last year, 25 to 30 lakh compensation was handed out in my division due to elephant destructions. This included both loss of house and loss of agriculture. We try to distribute compensation in 10 days’ time after evaluating the loss. So, while we are monitoring the elephants’ movement with the thermal drones and ensuring the safety of the animal, we are also expediting the process of compensation. In whole of India, we are the first to implement this system in forest,” Mr. Waybhase said.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
BEML Limited
BEML Partners with Italy’s Tesmec to Introduce Advanced Surface Miner Equipment in India
Yogi Adityanath Ayodhya visit in Diwali
Sambhal Emerges as Key Pilgrimage Hub: UP Government Sanctions Rs. 171 Lakh for Temple Development
Gujarat Smart Police Station
Next-Gen Policing in Gujarat: Infocity Smart Police Station to Include 2BHK Residences
Modi Nitish Kumar
Who Will Lead Bihar? PM Modi Launches NDA Campaign with CM Nitish Kumar at Samastipur Rally
NTPC wind project Gujarat
NTPC Accelerates Renewable Footprint: 9.9 MW Wind Project in Gujarat Goes Commercial on October 25
PM Narendra Modi CM Vishnu Deo Sai
PM Modi to Grace Chhattisgarh Silver Jubilee: State Gears Up for Grand Foundation Day Celebrations
Woman IPS Officer
Rise of Women in Uniform: Telangana’s Women IPS Officers Like Charu Sinha & Shikha Goel Lead Key Police Divisions, Shaping Governance
CMD post at Bharat Dynamics Limited
Who Will Lead India’s Missile Maker Next? PESB Invites Applications for CMD Post at Bharat Dynamics Limited
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
WhatsApp Image 2025-10-23 at 10.40
Everybody Needs To Know What Is Transpiring Behind Closed Doors Of Courts
WhatsApp Image 2025-10-19 at 12.23
UPSC Journey Should Be Enjoyable, Not Cumbersome
WhatsApp Image 2025-10-16 at 15.16
The Many Facets of Former IRS Officer and Author, Giselle Mehta | Video Interview
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
IAS Rupal Rana UPSC
How Rupal Rana Cracked UPSC CSE 2023 with AIR 26 After Four Attempts
UPSC Topper Rupal Rana secured AIR 26 in 2023 after four attempts. Learn her preparation strategy, booklist,...
Ankita Parashar RAS 2023
4 Attempts, 1 Dream, 0 Excuses: Meet RAS Topper Ankita Parashar, Who Fulfilled a Daughter’s Promise & Secured Rank 2 | Exclusive Interview
Ankita Parashar, a teacher-turned-officer from Pushkar, fulfilled her late father’s dream by securing...
Kushal Chaudhary RAS
From Lab Assistant’s Grit to Rajasthan Topper: How Kushal Chaudhary Topped RAS 2023 with Self-Study | Preparation, Strategy & Interview
Kushal Chaudhary, a farmer’s son and lab assistant from Ajmer, topped RAS 2023 through self-study, overcoming...
Social Media
IFS Parveen Kaswan
Heartbreak by the River: 15-Day-Old Elephant Calf Rejected by Mother, Rescued by IFS Parveen Kaswan and His Team
Jaldapra, West Bengal: In a moving incident that tugs at the heart, a 15-day-old elephant calf was rescued...
Ashwini Bhide IAS and Anand Mahindra
Who Is IAS Ashwini Bhide, Hailed as a Role Model for Mumbai Metro Transformation by Anand Mahindra?
From heritage to high-tech: Bhide’s leadership in Metro Line 3 earns public praise and admiration
World Rhino Day India
On World Rhino Day, IFS Officer Parveen Kaswan Shares Rare Insights - India Now Hosts 80% of the World’s One-Horned Rhinos
September 22 Marks Global Call for Rhino Conservation; India Holds 80% of World’s Greater One-Horned...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
BEML Limited
BEML Partners with Italy’s Tesmec to Introduce Advanced Surface Miner Equipment in India
Yogi Adityanath Ayodhya visit in Diwali
Sambhal Emerges as Key Pilgrimage Hub: UP Government Sanctions Rs. 171 Lakh for Temple Development
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
WhatsApp Image 2025-10-23 at 10.40
WhatsApp Image 2025-10-19 at 12.23
WhatsApp Image 2025-10-16 at 15.16
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT