Object detection of the bornean orangutan nests using drone and YOLOv5

Abstract

Object detection methods when applied to ecology and conservation can help to identify and monitor endangered species and their habitats. Using drones for this purpose has become increasingly popular due to their ability to cover large areas quickly and efficiently. In this study, we aim to implement object detection using YOLOv5 to detect orangutan nests in forests. To conduct our experiment, we collect drone imagery under different conditions. We propose to use the original YOLOv5 to implement our model. The detection and monitoring of orangutan nests can help conservationists to identify critical habitats, monitor population, and design effective conservation strategies. Additionally, the use of drones can reduce the need for on-the-ground surveys, which can be time-consuming, expensive, and logistically challenging. In our study proposes a model for detecting orangutan nests in forests using a drone and the YOLOv5. Our model predicted 1,970 training images and 414 labeled orangutan nests, with a precision of 0.973, recall 0.949, accuracy mean average precision (mAP)_0.5 is 0.969, and mAP_0.5:0.95 is 0.630. The model finished 217 epochs in 58 hours and had a high object detection accuracy. The model has a 99.9% accuracy in detecting the number of orangutan nests.