is to use the Arioneo sensors
to gather the in-fl ight data,
but Padalino won’t commit to
deploying the technology until
she has “validated” them.
She agreed to carry out the
study two years ago and, since
then, has been canvassing
support from air cargo
companies at conferences. “It
requires a lot of collaboration as
we need volunteers and access
to the fl y grooms to collect
the data. But we are making
progress. Four companies have
agreed to take part and we’ve
already done a successful pilot
with European Horse Services.
The project is ready to begin
soon,” she reveals.
The various participants in
the study have different goals.
For Padalino, the main aim is to
A HISTORY IN HORSES
Few people in Europe understand more about shipping horses
than Vande Cappelle. He began his career in logistics, but his
passion was always for horses and, in 1991, he founded European
Horse Services in Belgium. The initial business model was based
around fl ying a dozen horses a month, but it expanded rapidly
and the company now ships 3,000 a year.
provide scientifi c evidence to legislators in the European Parliament
so they can update the laws around animal transportation. For
Vande Cappelle it’s an opportunity to provide a better service for
owners and take care of his beloved horses. Meanwhile, for the
technology providers, it’s a chance to develop new tracking devices.
At CHAMP Cargosystems, the project has a wider signifi cance as
the company’s fi rst foray into exploring the technological potential
of the Internet of Things. “We saw the horse project as an ideal way
to begin developing IoT technologies. We’re collaborating with
Vianeo, Dr Padalino and the ATA. But it’s important to understand
that our goal is to realise an IoT product at the end,” adds Lucas
Fernandez, Head of Innovation at CHAMP.
Fernandez and Vande Cappelle agree that monitoring horses
could be just a beginning. Once a reliable device is available, it could
be used to track other animals. Owners of common pets, such as
dogs and cats, might welcome the extra scrutiny. Vulnerable and
endangered species could be monitored more closely on fl ights to
and from zoos, or wildlife parks. “Cargolux fl ew two beluga whales
recently from China to Iceland, which required a lot of preparation
as well as a team of vets and technicians to take care of them in
fl ight; and we see white rhinos shipped long distances. We think
the device for horses could ultimately work well for many different
animals,” he concludes.
I say I’ve never
worked a day in my
life because I love
horses so much
Filip Vande Cappelle, Founder,
European Horse Services
Global Leaders in
Animal Transportation
Equine | Livestock | Exotics
+44 (0) 1293 655 440
enquiry@intradco-global.com
www.intradco-global.com
www.airlogisticsinternational.com Intradco is a Chapman Freeborn company.
February 2020 43
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