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Feasibility Study
Version <1.0>
Fence Surveillance Service (FSS) project Version: 1.0
Feasibility Study Date: 16-03-2018
Document identifier: 7057.181.00GPE5001 BMS source: PCX 008 TPL
Revision History
Date Version Description Author
16/03/2018 1.0 Draft Feasibility Study <name>
Table of Contents
1. Introduction 4
1.1 Purpose 4
1.2 Scope 4
1.3 Definitions, Acronyms, and Abbreviations 4
1.4 References 4
2. Executive Summary 5
6. Market Considerations 13
7. Market Strategy 13
8. Schedule 13
9. Financial Projections 14
Feasibility Study
1. Introduction
1.1 Purpose
This document is a feasibility study of the Fence Surveillance Service (FSS) project for the newly-established
company Rural Surveillance Services Pty Ltd (RSS).
1.2 Scope
This feasibility study appraises the viability of the Fence Surveillance Service (FSS) project for Rural
Surveillance Services Pty Ltd (RSS) proving goals, objectives, general description of the proposed
system, assumptions, constrains and potential issues with findings and recommendations. The study
neither includes market considerations, market strategy, schedule or financial projections, nor the design
solutions or information about current systems and processes. Documents used to develop the study are
listed in the references.
1.4 References
2. Executive Summary
The project is aimed to ensure the protection integrity of 2,200 km long South Australian
portion of dingo exclusion fence by developing a fence inspection system. The proposed fence
surveillance system is completely automated with the use of autonomous inspection vehicles
called ‘Robots’. The operation need to be continuous throughout the year with 99%
availability. The system is required to operate in any adverse weather and topographical
conditions. The location of each robots may be monitored anytime by PIRSA and OCC with
respect to GPS coordinates and property topography. The service is expected to be scalable as
well as expandable.
The operations will be supported by comprehensive three category maintenance program. The
system should be able to detect and report their maintenance needs to OCC. Maintenance
should be backed by timely supply of tools and parts with skilled technicians. The system will
generate reports of errors and defects itself if there are any. The maintenance need assessment
of the system is to be designed as automated. Sufficient backup robots for supporting the
emergency is proposed. The system is expected to be scalable and expandable up to 25 robots
in a fleet.
There are also few challenges associated with the projects. The project is designed assuming
that there will be uninterrupted communication facility with the stakeholders. Property owners
are supposed to have access to internet and phones. Operators are required to be skilled and
well trained. Due to the system’s exposer to the internet it is always subjected to higher degree
of risk of hacking and unauthorised access which need to be mitigated. Physical security of
the robots to be planned such that they can not be taken or withdrawn without authority or the
operation may not be affected beyond control.
Due to automation, the system may should be cost effective and efficient. The continuity and
availability of the service may ensure higher degree of protection integrity to the dingo
exclusion fences. It may reduce the requirement of labours and eliminate the adversity of
operation during difficult weather and topographical conditions.
The goal of the project is to ensure the protection integrity of 2,200 km long South Australian
portion of dingo exclusion fence by developing a fence inspection system.
The goal of the company is to expand its operation to global market by operating in other
states and other countries over the time.
To ensure the protection integrity of the dingo exclusion fence, the fence inspection system
will be developed. The system will detect holes in the fence, determine their location and
extent, provide information to the maintained team to repair the fence which will be operated
under the contract to PIRSA. RSS will not sell its product but deliver the service only and they
shall operate, support and maintain this surveillance system.
After establishing itself via the service contract with PIRSA, RSS will develop further related
capabilities and sell their service to large property owners. The will provide cost effective,
comprehensive surveillance and inspection service reducing the labour cost of large property
owners. Gradually the company will start operations to other states. The company will be
floated publicly on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) and start operations to other
countries.
Not used – not required for SOW 7057.181.00GPE5001
The system will inspect 2,200 km long South Australian portion of dingo exclusion fence by
introducing fully autonomous robots which will be located with reference to GPS coordinates
and the topology of the property will operate along a dirt track in hot, cold, dry, wet,
sometimes windy conditions at day and night all over the year. The robots will identify
location and size of holes and the activities will be remotely monitored from a single national
operations centre. It will provide daily reports to the property owner as well as PIRSA. The
system will cost less than a manual system. property owners will not need to allow additional
fixed infrastructure - the system will not need additional fixed infrastructure.
Robots will be operated based on daily task plan including route planning developed with the
property owners. The operators will be able to navigate according to GPS coordinates, follow
a path and detect and avoid obstacles on the track. Though the robots are fully autonomous,
their speed may be regulated and able to be overridden in case of emergency.
The system will be able to do special tasking and capable of doing jobs in accordance with
requests in addition to scheduled inspections. It will be scalable to other customers and able
do other things apart from the dingo fence.
The robots will be made as line replaceable units (LRUs) and of standard tools, repair parts
and lubricants whenever possible. Spare will be available at the mobile robot maintenance
centre so that robots can be repaired shortly and can be used again immediately. Robots will
have an Automatic Logistic and Reporting Management System (ALARMS) - a robot can
detect its own faults. Every time the system computer is started, its Fault Detection/Location
(FD/L) system will check of all hardware and software and report will be generated if
something is not operational.
A temporary infrastructure on the property will be used for mobile robot maintenance centre.
Robots will have a Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS) which enables to
automatically know the health such as fuel level, tyre pressure, temperature etc. of the robot
and how much it has been used. Maintenance is scheduled depending on the number of hours
used and robots drive themselves to the mobile robot maintenance centre - after a set number
of hours of use, or if a part is breaking down. The ALARMS + HUMS robots can predict
when they need maintenance and a message is automatically sent to the maintenance manager
that maintenance is needed, with two days’ notice.
The system will be supported by a comprehensive training subsystem. Web-based training will
be available to train maintainers and operators in all aspects of operations. The training will be
based on real world scenarios. It will be made interactive by introducing self-paced
instruction, duplicating performance characteristics and discussing capabilities and limitations
seen in the field. The system will be able to maintain training records for all staff and replay
training sessions to evaluate training.
The planning tools will not be manual, rather the planning tools will be software based and the
software will determine daily operations. Open software architecture will be used whenever
possible so that the development of different fleets for different markets can be supported.
Software based ALARMS, HUMS and FD/L system will enable the operators to receive,
process, format, store and retrieve maintenance data for each robot. It will let them know
where robots are and what they are doing, in real time. Software will provide a warning to the
operator if the system identifies a malfunction
The monitoring interface will have an image display function, including a pan and zoom
function. It will be capable to analyse images for defects (holes) automatically. It will provide
daily reports to the property owner.
The training subsystem will be web-based. It will maintain all types of training records of
trainees and trainers. It will be able to record and replay training sessions to evaluate trainings.
5.1.4 Major system components and the interconnections among these components
The major system component will consist of different individual unites which are
interconnected to each other. The field operation unit, maintenance unit, property owner and
monitoring unit (OCC and PIRSA) are the major components of the system.
As robots will be monitored remotely, real time information of each inspection robot’s
location will be available and PIRSA will know the state of each robot. The system will also
provide a warning to the operator if the system identifies a malfunction.
Map: Australian Dingo Exclusion fence Picture: A portion of Australian Dingo Exclusion
(Source: wikimedia.org) fence
(Source: wikimedia.org)
There are few risk factors associated with the operation of the system. The system should be
free from outer interference and safe against hacking. In case of emergency or the partial
failure of the system, the operators should be override the operation programs and activities of
the robots. Safety of the robots should be ensured so that those can not be take away by
anyone without authority.
The robots should not able to be taken over by anyone without authority. It should be free
from outer interference and safe against hacking.
When at the maintenance centre, robots will shut down automatically; robots will indicate
they are in safe mode so that it can be maintained safely. There should be a daily system check
at the start of sessions. PIRSA will need to know the state of each robot to monitor the overall
system.
There are no privacy issues from the property owners.
5.2 Issues
Identify issues that will need to be considered during the development of the system, such as but not limited to
technological factors, system interfaces and security.
State what you are assuming about the environment the proposed system will operate in and
what constraints apply to that system.
This section presents the assumptions or constraints that will affect the proposed system, such
as:
Technologies are assumed to be available for producing the robots and their operations. The
whole system is supposed to have a prolonged operational life. The system will be able to
interact with the other systems such as GPS, satellites, mobile phone networks etc. It is also
assumed that the system will can comply all legislative issues related to safety and
environment. Like most other similar systems this this system may be upgraded easily by
changing hardware, software and operating environment.
Required resources and information are assumed to be available to all the users. The system
will maintain its privacy and comply with security standards. The robots are assumed to be in
complete control of the operators who will be trained properly before the operation starts.
6. Market Considerations
Not used – not required for SOW 7057.181.00GPE5001
7. Market Strategy
Not used – not required for SOW 7057.181.00GPE5001
8. Schedule
Not used – not required for SOW 7057.181.00GPE5001
9. Financial Projections
Not used – not required for SOW 7057.181.00GPE5001
10.1 Findings
The proposed fence surveillance system will be automated which will use autonomous inspection
vehicles called ‘Robots’. The operation will be continuous with an availability 99%. The system is
expected to operate in any adverse weather and topographical conditions. The location of each robots
may be monitored anytime by PIRSA and OCC with respect to GPS coordinates and property
topography.
The operations will be planned by software based on the information provided by property owners
and operators. The system is expected be able to detect size and location of holes accurately and
produce image available to OCC.
There proposed an uninterrupted communication facility between property owner and the
OCC. The system may produce daily report and send to property owners and PIRSA.
It is expected that there will be a comprehensive web-based training facility which will be
used to provide trainings and their assessment.
The system appears to be cost effective and efficient. The continuity and availability of the
service may ensure higher degree of protection to the dingo exclusion fences. It may reduce
the requirement of labours and eliminate the adversity of operation during difficult weather
and topographical conditions. The maintenance need assessment of the system is also
automated. Sufficient backup robots for supporting the emergency is proposed. The system is
expected to be scalable and expandable up to 25 robots in a fleet.
10.2 Recommendations
The project may be technically feasible, but the market strategy and financial projections need to be
analysed further before making the final decision of the project.