Pairi Dazia Foundation

Conservation From the Sky

Aerospace and conservation, a shared horizon

Created in 2009 within Aviation Sans Frontières Belgium, the Conservation From the Sky program joined the Pairi Daiza Foundation in 2025, as part of a collaboration between the two organizations.

Understanding to better protect

To manage a protected area effectively, it is essential to understand its state of health. Conservation From the Sky is an innovative program that places aerospace technologies at the service of nature conservation.

Drones, ultralight aircraft (ULM), light airplanes, and satellite imagery are used to provide a precise and objective diagnosis of ecosystems: the condition of vegetation, the distribution and dynamics of animal populations, as well as the identification of pressures affecting natural environments—such as fires, overgrazing, illegal exploitation, or unsustainable human activities.

Innovation at the heart of the project

The program stands out through the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the analysis of collected data. Wildlife surveys based on aerial photographs and satellite imagery thus gain in speed, reliability, and accuracy, while minimizing disturbance to wildlife in the field.

This cutting-edge approach is developed through close collaboration between the Pairi Daiza Foundation and:

the University of Liège – Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech,
Aviation Sans Frontières Belgium,
the Airbus Foundation.

Together, these partners combine scientific expertise, aeronautical know-how, and advanced technologies to address today’s conservation challenges.

A project supported by the Pairi Daiza Foundation

In 2025, with the support of the Pairi Daiza Foundation, and in collaboration with Aviation Sans Frontières Belgium and the University of Liège – Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, a state-of-the-art methodology was successfully tested in Zah Soo National Park, Chad.

Managed by the NGO Noé, this park served as a pilot site for an AI-assisted photographic aerial survey conducted using ultralight aircraft. This operation made it possible to collect essential data on wildlife and habitats, while demonstrating the effectiveness of this method in vast areas that are sometimes difficult to access.

A new horizon for conservation

By integrating the Conservation From the Sky program into its actions, the Pairi Daiza Foundation reaffirms its commitment to innovative, sustainable, and scientifically grounded solutions for biodiversity protection.

This project opens up new perspectives for monitoring protected areas worldwide, providing managers and NGOs with reliable tools to better understand, anticipate, and preserve natural balances.

Conservation From the Sky

Aerospace and conservation, a shared horizon

Understanding to better protect

Innovation at the heart of the project

A project supported by the Pairi Daiza Foundation

A new horizon for conservation

Pairi Daiza

Our applications

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Conservation From the Sky

Aerospace and conservation, a shared horizon

Understanding to better protect

Innovation at the heart of the project

A project supported by the Pairi Daiza Foundation

A new horizon for conservation

Pairi Daiza

Our applications

Follow us

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