Testing Environment for Deployment of Whale Biologging Tags

Abstract

Migration and behavior data of whales are collected with biologging tags in order to reduce collisions and disturbances caused by human interaction. Tags are deployed from drones because it’s safe and noninvasive. However, a quality test environment is needed to refine and evaluate drop performance for different tag-drop system designs in order to enhance performance and efficiency. Our team conducted background research and identified the design context in order to create a list of requirements and specifications. Unique concepts were generated for each of the functional requirements and were evaluated against their fulfillment of requirements in multiple rounds of downselection. The remaining concepts were used to create and build our alpha design. In order to determine that each concept fulfilled its specification, verification plans were designed and tested. These plans included design of experiments for calibrating the camera tracking system, pressure measuring system, and more. These plans also inspired a set of guidelines and procedures on how to set up the testing rig, as well as collect and analyze the recorded data in order to quantify the quality of the design.