An Advanced, Low-Cost, GPS-Based Animal Tracking System: Rangeland Ecology & Management May 2006
An Advanced, Low-Cost, GPS-Based Animal Tracking System: Rangeland Ecology & Management May 2006
An Advanced, Low-Cost, GPS-Based Animal Tracking System: Rangeland Ecology & Management May 2006
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Technical Note
An Advanced, Low-Cost, GPS-Based Animal Tracking System
Patrick E. Clark,1 Douglas E. Johnson,2 Mark A. Kniep,3 Phillip Jermann,4 Brad Huttash,3
Andrew Wood,5 Michael Johnson,6 Craig McGillivan,7 and Kevin Titus8
Authors are 1Range Scientist and 4Biological Science Technician, US Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service, Boise,
ID 83712; 2Professor and 6Software Programmer, Department of Rangeland Ecology and Management, Oregon State University,
Corvallis, OR 97331; 3Electrical Engineers, Micron Technology, Inc, Boise, ID 83716; 5Electrical Engineer, Hewlett-Packard Company,
Boise, ID 83714; and 7current and 8former electrical engineering students, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725.
Abstract
An improved global positioning system (GPS)–based animal tracking system is needed to meet quickly evolving demands of
ecological research, range livestock production, and natural resource management. Commercially available tracking systems lack
the data storage capacity needed to frequently collect animal location data (e.g., 15-minute intervals or less) over long-term
deployment periods (e.g., 1 year or more). Some commercial systems have remote data–download capabilities, reducing the need
to recapture tagged animals for data retrieval, but these systems download data via satellite (Argos), global system for mobile
communications (GSM) cellular telephone, or telemetry radio frequencies. Satellite systems are excessively expensive, and GSM
cellular coverage is extremely limited within the United States. Radio-based systems use narrow-band very-high– or ultra-high
frequencies requiring the user to obtain frequency allocations. None of these existing systems were designed to provide continual,
real-time data access. The Clark GPS Animal Tracking System (Clark ATS) was developed to meet the evolving demands of
animal ethologists, ecologists, natural resource managers, and livestock producers. The Clark ATS uses memory-card technology
for expandable data storage from 16 megabytes to 8 gigabytes. Remote data downloading and program uploading is
accomplished using spread-spectrum radio transceivers, which do not require narrow-band radio frequency allocations. These
radios also transmit, at a user-defined time interval, a real-time, GPS-location beacon to any Clark ATS base station within range
(about 24 km or 15 miles line of sight). Advances incorporated into the Clark ATS make it possible to evaluate animal behavior at
very fine spatial- and temporal-resolution over long periods of time. The real-time monitoring provided by this system enables
researchers to accurately examine animal distribution and activity responses to acute, short-term disturbances relative to longer-
term behavioral patterns. The Clark ATS also provides a huge time- and cost-savings to researchers and natural resource
managers attempting to relocate a tagged animal in the field for direct observation or other operations.
Resumen
Se necesita un sistema mejorado de rastreo de animales basado en GPS para satisfacer las crecientes demandas de investigación
ecológica, producción de ganado en pastizales y el manejo de los recursos naturales. Los sistemas de rastreo comerciales
disponibles carecen de la capacidad de almacenaje de datos necesaria para colectar frecuentemente la localización del animal
(por ejemplo, a intervalos de 15 minutos o menos) en un perı́odo largo de tiempo (un año o mas). Algunos sistemas comerciales
tienen capacidad de descargar datos a larga distancia, reduciendo la necesidad de recapturar los animales marcados para
recuperar los datos, pero estos sistemas descargan los datos vı́a satélite (Argos), a través de telefonı́a celular GSM o de
radiofrecuencias de telemetrı́a. Los sistemas de satélite son excesivamente caros y la cobertura de la telefonı́a celular GSM es
extremadamente limitada dentro de Estados Unidos de América. Los sistemas basados en radio usan bandas estrechas de
frecuencia VHF o UHF, requiriendo que el usuario obtenga asignaciones de frecuencia. Ninguno de los sistemas existentes
fueron diseñados para proveer un acceso continuo en tiempo real. El Sistema de Rastreo de Animales Clark GPS (Clark ATS) fue
desarrollado para satisfacer las demandas de los etólogos animal, ecólogos, manejadores de recursos naturales y productores de
ganado. El Clark ATS utiliza tecnologı́a de tarjeta de memoria para expandir la capacidad de almacenaje de datos de 16
megabytes a 8 gigabytes. La descarga remota de datos y la carga del programa se logra usando radio transcriptores de espectro
amplio, que no requieren la asignación de frecuencias de radio de banda angosta. Estos radios también transmiten, a un
intervalo de tiempo definido por el usuario, en tiempo real, la localización de la baliza de GPS a cualquier base de Clark ATS
dentro del rango ( aproximadamente 24 km o 15 millas en lı́nea recta). Los avances incorporados al Clark ATS hacen posible
evaluar el comportamiento animal a una resolución espacial y temporal muy fina por largos perı́odos de tiempo. El monitoreo en
tiempo real suministrado por este sistema permite a los investigadores examinar acertadamente la distribución de los animales y
las actividades en respuesta a disturbios severos a corto plazo en relación a los patrones de comportamiento a largo plazo. El
Clark ATS también proporciona grandes ahorros de tiempo y costos a los investigadores y manejadores de recursos naturales
que intentan relocalizar en el campo a los animales marcados para realizar observaciones directas u otras operaciones.
Key Words: activity budgets, animal behavior, global positioning system, habitat use, real-time, telemetry tracking
This research was funded by the US Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service.
Mention of manufacturer, trademark name, or proprietary product does not constitute endorsement by the US Department of Agriculture, Oregon State University, or Boise State
University and does not imply their approval to the exclusion of other products that may also be suitable.
Correspondence: Patrick E. Clark, Northwest Watershed Research Center, USDA–ARS, 800 Park Boulevard, Suite 105, Boise, ID 83712-7716. Email: pclark@nwrc.ars.usda.gov
Manuscript received 26 September 2005; manuscript accepted 12 March 2006.
Details concerning the Clark ATS are also presented at the receiver, an active GPS patch antenna, a spread-spectrum radio
website associated with this paper: http://clark.nwrc.ars.usda. transceiver, and an omnidirectional radio antenna (Table 1).
gov/collars/index.php. Plans and instructions for constructing The collar is powered by either 1 or 2 high-capacity, D-cell
the Clark ATS are available from the corresponding author batteries, depending on the planned length of deployment and
upon request. weight considerations. Other collar components include a printed
circuit board (PCB), a back-up battery, a regulator, capacitors,
Collar Components resistors, and various electrical connectors. A bill of materials
Major components of the GPS telemetry collar include a single- list for the components needed to construct the collar is avail-
board computer with a CompactFlash memory-card slot, a GPS able at the Clark ATS website mentioned above.
enclosure. First, 2 equal lengths of conveyor belting are lam- configured to operate as a base station (i.e., a server). The
inated together with a double-row of stitching around the edge radio and other components and wiring used to power the
of the belting. Lengths of the belting will differ depending on system and translate the serial output of the radio are mounted
the neck circumference of the animal species of interest (Figs. on a small PCB. The PCB and its wiring harness are then
1A and 1B). Next, neck size–adjustment slots or holes are cut secured inside the waterproof PDA case. Finally, the PDA is
into the belting. The GPS and radio antennas and cables are then secured inside the PDA case, connected to the PCB via the
threaded between the 2 layers of belting. The belting is attached wiring harness, and the case is then closed and sealed. During
to the sides of the enclosure using mounting brackets. The GPS deployment, the radio antenna and the power supply cables for
and radio antenna cables ends are then inserted through a cable the radio and PDA are connected to the base-station PCB via
gland in the wall of the enclosure and plugged into their respec- waterproof, bulkhead connectors passing through the wall of
tive connectors on the PCB. Finally, a battery pack consisting of the PDA case (Fig. 2).
2 D-cell batteries and associated capacitors is secured to the
inside of the enclosure lid with silicon adhesive. Before testing
Collar Programming
or deploying the collar, the power cable from the battery pack
The duty cycle or timing of operations for all major compo-
must be connected to the PCB, and the enclosure is then closed
nents of the tracking collar is controlled by a program placed in
and sealed. A bill of materials and detailed instructions needed
the nonvolatile memory (1 megabyte [MB]) of the single-board
for constructing the collar belting and enclosure are available
computer. This program uses a text file of control parameters,
on the system website.
which is edited by the user and loaded on the collar’s memory
card before deployment. Parameters in this text file specify the
Base-Station Construction date/time when the program should initiate data collection thus
As with the collar construction, a detailed set of instructions allowing collar deployments with a delayed start. The text file
for constructing the hand-held base station is available at the also directs the program in how often GPS data should be
Clark ATS website. The following is a general description of collected and how frequently information for the most recent
how the electronics and hardware of the base station are GPS fix (i.e., a GPS-location beacon) should be transmitted by
constructed and assembled. First, the radio transceiver is the radio transceiver to the base station. Data included in