The use of the Global Positioning System for real-time data collecting during ecological aerial surveys in the Kruger National Park, South Africa

• Published in: Koedoe Vol. 37; no. 1; p. 149
• Main Authors: Viljoen, P.C. (Kruger National Park, Skukuza (South Africa)), Retief, P.F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: AOSIS 1994
• Subjects: aerial survey, census technique, data collecting, GPS, Kruger National Park; AERIAL SURVEYING; AFRIQUE DU SUD; COLLECTE DE DONNEES; DATA COLLECTION; kruger national park; NATIONAL PARKS; PARC NATIONAL; PARQUES NACIONALES; RECOLECCION DE DATOS; RECONOCIMIENTO AEREO; RELEVE AERIEN; SOUTH AFRICA; SUDAFRICA; South Africa
• DOI: 10.4102/koedoe.v37i1.332
• ISSN: 0075-6458

The use of the Global Positioning System (GPS) for real-time data collecting during ecological aerial surveys (EAS) in the Kruger National Park (KNP) was investigated as an alternative to post-survey manual data capture. Results obtained during an aerial census of large herbivores and surface water distribution in the northern part of the KNP using an onboard GPS connected to a palmtop computer are discussed. This relatively inexpensive system proved to be highly efficient for real-time data capture while additional information such as ground velocity and time can be recorded for every data point. Measures of distances between a ground marker and fix points measured during a flight (x = 60.0 m) are considered to be well within the requirements of the EAS.