Entrepreneurs
The Legatum Center supports entrepreneurs all around the world through the Fellowships and Grants
Jan-Corver Roos
2015 - 2016- From:
- South Africa
- Sector:
- IT/Telecom
- Location:
- South Africa
- Degree:
- SDM, School of Engineering and Sloan School of Management
Jan-Cor’s venture develops autonomous algorithms for the growing commercial market for unmanned aircraft vehicles (UAV) with mission-focused system capabilities. The venture’s first application is the development of algorithms for wildlife conservation organizations working to prevent rhinoceros poaching in South Africa. With Jan-Cor’s software, field rangers operate the aircraft through a camera while capturing images and data that indicate whether anti-poaching interventions are effective.
Several unmanned aircraft vehicle (UAV) system developers are already in the process of demonstrating proof of concept of this technology for anti-poaching initiatives. This venture is inspired by the fact that field rangers, as well as specialists in other industries, are not pilots and want to use UAV technology as a tool to achieve conservation objectives.
Prior to coming to MIT, Jan-Cor was involved in the design of unmanned aircraft systems at Denel Dynamics, a South African aerospace systems developer. His primary focus was on the architectural and functional design of the aircraft flight control computer software of the next generation Seeker 400 unmanned aircraft. He also worked on the take-off and landing system for the Seeker aircraft series.
Jan-Cor holds a Bachelor’s in Engineering and Masters of Electrical Engineering from the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa. He is a Master’s in System Design Management candidate in the School of Engineering and the Sloan School of Management.
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