Wildlife Computers Introduces New Solar-Powered, GPS-equipped Argos Transmitter (PTT) Tag for Birds

REDMOND, Wash. - Sept. 22, 2017 - PRLog -- Wildlife Computers, the leading innovator of advanced wildlife telemetry solutions, today announced the introduction of the Rainier-S20, a solar-powered, GPS-equipped Argos transmitter (PTT) tag specifically designed for birds. The Rainier-S20 is suitable for birds weighing as little as 650 grams to be tracked with GPS precision and accuracy over land and sea for multiple seasons.

The Rainier-S20 is designed with the avian species in mind. The "smaller is better" approach to design means there's no need for a bigger tag on a bigger bird. The tag has a very low profile and sports a flexible antenna, a smooth, rounded surface, and no cutting edges to minimize mass, drag and risk of injury. The tag can also be elevated with neoprene base pads to keep the solar panels above the feather line for enhanced charging.

"Our goal in creating this tag was to listen to researchers and take a holistic approach to the design," said Melinda Holland, president and CEO of Wildlife Computers. "We wanted to ensure that the natural behavior and responses from tagged birds were representative of their non-tagged counterparts. We were able to achieve this goal with this minimally-intrusive design."

Other key features of the Rainier-S20 include:

Smart transmission protocol—each Argos uplink contains up to four GPS locations, the latest and three randomized from the archive

Quick boost battery charging—the tag fully charges via USB in 45 minutes

Non-volatile storage of full data archive

Precise GPS fixes—data are date and time stamped to within two minutes of the actual fix, not hours

Customer programmable—customers can easily program the tags via an intuitive web-based interface from any Windows®-compatible device

LEDs provide visual tag status—customers can see if the tag is charging, deployed, etc.

UHF pinger to facilitate recovery—sends out a low-power, unmodulated ping to track the tag's location

GPS chipset rated accuracy of +/-11 m

"The team and the research community worked very hard on the production of this tag. It was very important to us that we got a lot of input from the scientist community," continued Holland. "To date we've deployed 31 prototype tags on eight different species in the USA, South Africa, Zambia, Mozambique, Swaziland and New Zealand. Our longest deployment to date is over 13 months. And currently, Mike Lockhart of Laramie, Wyoming has fitted Rainier tags on two ferruginous hawks (Buteo regalis) and five golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos)—one with over 140 days of continuous transmissions over a large area of central Wyoming/Colorado."

"Wildlife Computers created a great avian tag in the Rainier-S20. They really listened to input from biologists, and are a great bunch of folks to work with," said Mike Lockhart, a retired U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Biologist with years of telemetry experience on a variety of wildlife species. "I love the design of the new test model. The antenna is thin, somewhat short, and well positioned to facilitate different attachment applications on a wide range of species. I think this tag shows enormous promise as an effective satellite platform coupled with great sensitivity toward the welfare of tagged birds."

The Portal Advantage

One of the biggest advantages of the Rainier-S20 is its compatibility with the Wildlife Computers Data Portal. The Wildlife Computers Data Portal is a powerful suite of tools that enables researchers and institutions to more easily explore and manage their key scientific data. Data are seamlessly collected from the Rainier-S20 and automatically uploaded to the Wildlife Computers Portal where it can be easily accessed and managed from any web-enabled device. Data storage in the Portal is unlimited and can be easily exported into multiple formats including KMZ files to open in Google Earth.

"We developed the Rainier-S20 using our long-standing and successful technology to help researchers deliver the results they need," said Holland. "The design, parameter-driven customization options, data accessibility and storage, and support services that make up the Rainier-S20 package are unmatched in the avian tracking market."

Availability

We are taking orders for the Rainier-S20 starting today. For more information contact Wildlife Computers at +1 (425) 881-3048 or tags@wildlifecomputers.com. You can also visit https://wildlifecomputers.com/our-tags/rainier-s20/ to learn more.

About Wildlife Computers

Wildlife Computers is the leading innovator of advanced wildlife telemetry solutions. Propelled by its mission to promote the sustainable use of our global environment, Wildlife Computers creates the most innovative technologies that empower data-driven decisions. Wildlife Computers provides unique consultative services, an unsurpassed commitment to quality, and impeccable customer service to get you the data you need when you need it. Learn more at WildlifeComputers.com