Drone Delivery Service - An Orangutan Enrichment Pilot Study.

Animal enrichment in zoos is evolving faster than ever, with more technical approaches being found across disciplines, particularly in Animal-Computer Interaction (ACI). Captive orangutans are a unique population that are commonly impacted by health concerns that may be alleviated through increased physical activity. In this study protocol, we aim to examine the potential for a drone delivery system to distribute food to encourage natural foraging behaviors while minimizing animal care staff burden. We discuss conducting a survey with animal care staff and the general public to look at zoo perceptions, use case feedback, and perceptions of technology in enrichment. We also outline conducting observations of a specific population of captive orangutans to establish a baseline for a future system deployment, as well as compare to their wild counterparts.