Ubiquitous, Smart & Dexterous Drone Fleet Surveillance System
Phemotron Systems Delta SkySentinel project presents an ubiquitous, AI-powered, and smart drone surveillance system suitable for real-time detection, monitoring, and curbing of pirates’ activities in the Gulf of Guinea and Niger Delta region. Also applicable to support border security, coastal patrols, search and rescue operations, local airspace situation awareness, agribusiness support and fam operations, smart imaging and videography, edge and remote communication relays.
Drone Fleet Configuration
Diverse Applicable Industries...
SkySentinels Leading Edge
AI-Powered Autonomous Flight Control Technology
Our drone fleet features a multi-modal AI compute engine for intelligent target identification, autonomous map positioning, automatic waypoint and route planning, AI-driven battery management for optimal onboard energy utilization, extended flight endurance and coverage
Advanced Multi-Spectral Ultra-HD Imaging
Our award-winning ultra-high-definition imaging systems are the industry leaders across the globe. They form the eyes and ears through which pirates and criminal activities are unequivocally and unmistakably detected and monitored. All-weather, thermal, and night vision cameras allow operation around the clock in any given scenario
Robust Long-Range Communication Mesh
The SkySentinel drone network’s long-range communication architecture is very robust and features impenetrable multi-layered security features. Our drones can maintain up to 20km separation from the armored van units where the surveillance audio-visual streams are amplified and relayed to the central command center. A full communication loop between the drone mesh and the command center can cover multiple kilometers without a reduction in the quality of service
Dexterous Drone Platform & Gimbal System
We feature the strongest and most dexterous tactical drones in the industry. Agility, endurance, and stealth are key factors that drive our design and selection processes. The drone gimbal system is remotely controllable and extremely precise in steering the field of view of the onboard camera or tactical payload as required by the drone pilot or the mission commander
Policing Crude Oil Piracy in Niger Delta & Gulf of Guinea
The West African Gulf of Guinea, especially the Nigerian Niger Delta region has been the center of action of notorious crude oil pirate attacks, kidnappings, illegal fishing, drug trafficking, and armed robberies since the past decade. The perpetrators have shown and demonstrated sophistication in the use of technology, land- and sea-based criminal assets, traditional/spiritualistic prowess, and ruthlessness. The impact of these tragedies on NNPC crude oil productions, national security, and the Nigerian economy at large has been having adverse effects on the population. While the NIMASA Deep Blue Project, law enactment, the Government’s carrot-and-stick approach, and socio-political interventions have helped reduce the pirates’ activities, undesirable incidents are still been reported in the region and Nigeria’s oil production is also still having pirates-induced setbacks. Phemotron Systems presents the “Delta SkySentinels” a ubiquitous, AI-powered, and smart drone surveillance system of the entire region for real-time detection, monitoring, and curbing of pirates’ activities.
Trends of Piracy & Militancy in Niger Delta
Key Hotspots Ideal for Drone Surveillance
Hotspot 1: Crude Oil Pipeline Tapping & Vandalism
The vulnerability of the NNPC crude oil pipelines has been the focal port through which the highest percentage of crude oil thefts are initiated. These pipelines (surface and buried) can easily be disrupted in remote, bushy locations where law enforcement personnel find it very difficult to physically navigate using vehicles or motorbikes. Aviation assets such as helicopters or jets cannot continuously monitor the entire span of the network. Installation of security cameras on poles has also proven fruitless as they are easily targeted and destroyed.
Hotspot 2: Illegal Oil Bunker Camps
Stolen and intercepted flow from pipelines are secretly transported to illegal oil bunker camps where they are refined into Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and other by-products. These camps are characterized by sham, inefficient, and dangerous chemical processing mechanisms. Pollution from these camps also poses serious hazards to the regional ecosystem. Accidents and explosions are not uncommon in these camps. These camps can be easily set up in new locations quickly making it hard for law enforcement to keep track of them.
Hotspot 3: Riverine Canoe Transports
Canoe/Boat cruises on natural river bodies and streams provide easy and clandestine means for the pirates to move their criminal commodities around the region. Navy ships and boats may find it very difficult to negotiate the swamps and peculiar characteristics of river channels in the region. Loitering drones provide an effective means of tracking and monitoring criminal activities and networks from the sky. Drones also significantly multiply the intelligence-gathering capacities in these routes.
Hotspot 4: Illegal Vessels & Barges
The Gulf of Guinea, access to international waters has been a major location of confrontation. In a major recent incident, an Air Force helicopter directly opened fire on a pirate vessel. Armed and surveillance drones are important low-cost tools in the chest to effectively and strategically combat the notorious and unrelenting pirates.
Phemotron Systems' SkySentinels Drone Fleets to the rescue!
The disruption of Nigeria’s oil production capacity, sub-regional security, and maritime activities by pirates, bandits, and kidnappers in the Niger Delta region and the Gulf of Guinea leads to a net loss of over 6 million barrels of oil per day. Current defense and mitigation mechanisms have made good impacts but need to be supplemented with a modern, dynamic drone surveillance fleet for continuous, real-time, and instantaneous detection, tracking, and policing of pirates’ activities.
Phemotron Systems Delta SkySentinels Drone Fleet networks will provide a bird’s-eye view of the region, making it easier to spot suspicious activity. Drones organized into groups and cell units can easily cover the entire region simultaneously, and fly for prolonged periods of time, allowing them to patrol the region continuously. SkySentinels Drones are equipped with sophisticated cameras and sensors that can detect oil spill activity, flaming, and other environmental damage resulting from pirate activities
Our system is relatively inexpensive to operate, making it a cost-effective way to deter and supplement existing oil piracy policing initiatives in the region. When deployed in conjunction with other security measures, such as patrols by security forces, it represents a significant force multiplier.