Field Results | GAJ-DASTAK — Proven Elephant Detection in Chhattisgarh

Deployment History

Timeline

From first proof of concept to government-approved CAMPA procurement — the journey of field validation.

2024 Q1 — Katghora Division, Korba District

Initial Proof of Concept

First field deployment of the GAJ-DASTAK thermal detection system under DFO Kumar Nishant (IFS, 2016 batch). Validated core thermal detection capability in real forest-edge conditions with live elephant movement. Confirmed that the military-grade thermal sensor could reliably capture elephant thermal signatures at operational distances.

Forest department vehicle at Katghora deployment site

2024 Q2 — Jashpur Division

Extended Multi-Week Deployment

Extended autonomous deployment over multiple weeks under DFO Shashi Kumar (IFS). Validated 24/7 operation with solar power and remote monitoring. First acoustic deterrence field test conducted. A confirmed tampering incident occurred — external wiring was cut by human interference (not animal damage). This critical finding led to a complete redesign: all cable routing moved internal to the sealed enclosure.

Team during night deployment operations at Jashpur

GAJ-DASTAK unit tree-mounted with Hindi signage at Jashpur

2024 Q3–Q4 — Iterative Development

System Hardening & Retraining

Model retrained on LWIR thermal camera-specific data to close domain gap. Enclosure redesigned with internal cable routing and tamper-resistant construction. Power system optimized for sustained off-grid operation. Thermal drift mitigation implemented with periodic camera restart cycles.

Pole foundation and mounting infrastructure for permanent installation

2025 Q1 — Bangursia, Raigarh Division

Government Validation & CAMPA Approval

Full government demonstration deployment at Bangursia site under DFO Arvind P.M. (IFS, 2015 batch) — a known high-conflict elephant corridor. Zero crop loss recorded during the entire deployment period. Official validation letter issued by the Forest Department. CAMPA funds allocated for production units.

Bangursia presentation to forest department officials

2025–2026 — Tier-2 Development

Vehicle-Mounted Mobile Patrol Unit

Development of Tier-2 mobile patrol configuration for vehicle-mounted deployment on forest department patrol vehicles. Dual-sensor architecture (thermal + RGB), vibration-hardened mounting, and real-time scanning capability for patrol routes along known elephant corridors.

Team installing GAJ-DASTAK unit on tree at dusk

Flagship Deployment

Bangursia, Raigarh Division Results

Under DFO Arvind P.M. (IFS, 2015 batch) — the deployment that secured government approval and CAMPA procurement orders.

DFO Arvind P.M.

IFS (2015 Batch) — Raigarh Division

Supervised the Bangursia demonstration and issued the official validation letter that led to CAMPA approval.

Key Metrics

Crop Loss During Deployment Zero

CAMPA Work Order CAMPA Approved

Operation Mode 24/7 Autonomous

Power Source Solar + Battery

Cloud Dependency None

Government Validation Letter Issued

Deployment Conditions

Environment Dense Forest Edge

Threat Pattern Known Elephant Corridor

Conflict Status Active HEC Zone

Elephant Activity Primarily Nocturnal

Detection Performance

Detection Modality Thermal (LWIR)

Processing On-Device Edge AI

Deterrence Method Acoustic (Rotating)

Alert System SMS + Server Upload

Bangursia Deployment Gallery

SMS alert from ELEKIND device -- elephant detected at Bangursia

SMS alert triggered on elephant detection

Thermal AI detection -- elephant identified at Bangursia

AI thermal detection with probability score

Field evidence from Bangursia deployment

Field evidence documentation

On-site deployment operations

Site infrastructure setup

Unit positioning for optimal coverage

Forest edge monitoring point

Forest officer conducting site survey

Team operations at deployment site

GAJ-DASTAK dual speaker unit at Bangursia

GAJ-DASTAK unit with dual acoustic deterrence speakers

Bangursia field trial presentation cover

Official presentation delivered to Raigarh Division forest officers

Critical Learnings

Jashpur Deployment Insights

The extended Jashpur deployment produced critical findings that shaped every subsequent design decision.

Validated

Multi-Week Autonomous Operation

The system operated continuously for multiple weeks without human intervention. Solar charging sustained the power system through variable weather. Remote monitoring via Cellular connectivity confirmed device health and alert status throughout the deployment.

GAJ-DASTAK unit actively monitoring at night -- tree-mounted deployment in Jashpur

Validated

Solar Power Viability

Solar panel + battery architecture proved sufficient for continuous 24/7 operation in Chhattisgarh conditions. Power budget validated: AI processing system + thermal sensor + communications module sustained within solar charge capacity even during monsoon-season cloud cover.

Critical Incident

Tampering Incident — Human Interference

External wiring was selectively cut during deployment. Analysis confirmed human interference, not animal damage — wires were cleanly disconnected with no structural deformation to the enclosure. This incident directly led to the most significant design change in GAJ-DASTAK history: all cable routing moved internal to the sealed enclosure. No external wiring runs permitted in any subsequent design.

Forest officer conducting site survey after tampering incident at Jashpur

Lesson Learned

Design Doctrine Established

The Jashpur deployment established several enduring design rules: internal-only cable routing, tamper-evident enclosure features, padlock provisions on all housings, event logging for power interruptions (to detect cable cuts), and protected cable junctions. Every GAJ-DASTAK unit built since incorporates these learnings.

Pole foundation and permanent mounting infrastructure at Jashpur

Jashpur Deployment Gallery

GAJ-DASTAK team during night operations in Jashpur

Night operations team at Jashpur

Team with forest officer at Jashpur deployment

Team with Jashpur forest officers

Night deployment operations

Elephant dung evidence found near deployment site in Jashpur

Elephant dung evidence confirming herd presence near deployment site

Forest officer conducting field survey at Jashpur

Forest officer site survey and assessment

Ground Truth

Evidence from the Field

Every detection is verified. Footprints, dung (leed), movement signs — documented with GPS coordinates and timestamps.

GPS-tagged elephant dung evidence -- Lat 22 43 7 N, Long 83 37 7 E

GPS-Tagged Field Evidence

Every piece of elephant evidence is documented with precise GPS coordinates and timestamps. This geo-tagged dung sample confirms active elephant movement through the deployment zone, validating sensor placement and detection corridor alignment. Coordinates: Lat 22 43'7" N, Long 83 37'7" E.

Evidence Type Elephant Dung (Leed)

GPS Tagged Yes

Verification Forest Department Confirmed

Thermal detection output showing elephant identified with probability score

AI detection output -- thermal camera with bounding box and confidence score

Alternative thermal view of elephant detection

Thermal signature analysis -- multiple detection frames

Elephant dung evidence at Jashpur deployment zone

Elephant presence confirmed through physical evidence at Jashpur

Full deployment team with forest officers during daylight survey

Team with forest officers during daylight site survey

Night deployment operations with forest department staff

Operational Strategy

Deployment Doctrine

Three proven deployment patterns designed around real elephant movement behavior and field-validated operational constraints.

Pattern 1

Small Village Protection

2–3 units deployed in a perimeter arc around a village or crop zone. Units positioned to cover primary elephant approach routes with overlapping detection fields. Acoustic deterrence redirects elephants away from the protected area before they reach crops or habitation.

Units Required 2–3

Coverage Perimeter Arc

Pattern 2

High Conflict Zone

5+ units with overlapping detection coverage and layered deterrence zones. Designed for areas with frequent, multi-directional elephant incursion. Staggered acoustic deterrence creates a continuous barrier. Eliminates the directional blind zone vulnerability observed in single-unit deployments.

Units Required 5+

Coverage Overlapping 360°

Pattern 3

Corridor Monitoring

Linear deployment along known elephant movement corridors. Units spaced at detection-range intervals to create a continuous monitoring fence. Ideal for tracking herd movement patterns and providing early warning to downstream villages and agricultural areas.

Units Required 3–8 (linear)

Coverage Corridor Fence

Key Principle: Single units have directional blind zones. Elephants were observed re-entering from alternate directions after initial deterrence (documented at Raigarh, Day 2). Multi-unit deployment with overlapping coverage eliminates re-entry from alternate directions and prevents habituation through varied acoustic sequences.