Yamaha Is Tipping The Scales From The Air
Field Born Series - Norfolk Island
Beautiful Norfolk Island, a tiny external Australian territory with a colourful history, is situated just three hours east of Australia in the Pacific Ocean. In addition to its 2200 human inhabitants, the pristine island is also home to a range of rare endemic plants and wildlife. Unfortunately, many of these native plants and animals now live under the threat of extinction from an introduced pest, the Argentine ant.
Fuelled by their connection to the island, and respect for its unique natural habitat, Norfolk Island locals are working with Yamaha Motor to protect native inhabitants from this most invasive insect.
Volume 6 of the Field Born Series produced by Yamaha Motor Company reveals the role Yamaha’s industrial-use FAZER R UAV (Unmanned Arial Vehicle) plays in the fight to save Norfolk Island’s endangered species. Titled Tipping the Scales to Save Native Species from the Air, the four-minute film uses visually stunning cinematography to place the viewer at ground zero in this epic battle.
Argentine Ants
Colonies of the highly invasive Argentine ant first came to the attention of Norfolk Island locals two decades ago. It wasn’t long before the troublesome colonies propagated into a severe problem. Despite their tiny size, their ability to multiply rapidly and create super-colonies soon saw the ants inflicting severe ecological and property damage across the island. From preying on native species to staging mass invasions of homes, the Argentine ant quickly became public enemy number one.
Initially, residents battled the marching army of tiny invaders head-on. Armed with back-pack-style pesticide tanks, locals waded into areas invaded by the ants in an effort to exterminate the pest. Unfortunately, the effectiveness of their efforts proved limited.
Yamaha FAZER R UAV
Due to its geographical location and its rugged and often inaccessible terrain, traditional eradication methods proved difficult. The project game-changer appeared in the skies above the island in the form of the Yamaha Motor industrial-use FAZER R unmanned helicopter.
The ability FAZER R to fly at low altitudes while distributing pest control bait across a wide area with pinpoint accuracy - avoiding residential areas in the process - swung the momentum back in favour of the residents. Taking the fight to the skies has seen the battle between the Argentine ants and the island’s nature-loving locals enter a new phase. Efforts are now concentrated on preventing the ants from invading the national park area, home to many endangered species.