Orange techs up coral reef restoration programme with data analytics and AI

The project’s aim is to scale the coral reef restoration in a Marine Protected Area of the Coral Triangle in Malaysia, which aims to protect and preserve wildlife.

Orange Business will plug in some automated data set systems, including collection and visualization, and AI-based data analysis. The intention of this is to create a ‘near real-time data-driven approach’ to the conservations efforts there, meaning data and images can be delivered directly to scientists ashore, and researchers will be able to access ‘24/7 data.’

This is enabled by a Yucca lab marine research station composed of an underwater monitoring device with waterproof 360 degree cameras attached to a solar-powered floating buoy with processing and transmission capabilities.

The research station connects to the local 4G mobile network via an Orange Business SIM card and transfers images daily to a Microsoft Azure tenant managed by Orange, which has also bolted on some of its proprietary data transfer security extras.  

It has also built an AI algorithm which analyses the images, and automatically recognises and quantifies various species of fish, invertebrates, and megafauna in the reefs.

“We wanted to be part of the solution for an environmental challenge,” said Kristof Symons, CEO International, Orange Business. “Our employees worldwide support Tēnaka for its inspiring initiative in preserving and rehabilitating coral ecosystems – and one where our technology and digital services can really make a difference to create a positive impact.”

Anne-Sophie Roux, founder of Tēnaka added “Regenerating the ocean is the best solution we have to mitigate the climate and biodiversity crisis. By leveraging technology, Orange Business brings critical expertise for us to scale our operations and reach a global impact,”

Orange Business has been vocal in its pursuit of more bespoke B2B telecoms projects as it prosecutes its ‘Lead the Future’ strategic plan, the end goal being to ‘bring Orange Business back to market standards and profitable growth.’

At the end of last year, it acquired Microsoft specialised consulting company Expertime to give a leg up to its digital services offering, and it said at the time it wanted to become the ‘leading network and digital services integrator in Europe.’

Orange has said on a few occasions the reasons it thinks it can do this rest on it existing between the telco space and the IT space, presumably meaning having an expertise in both areas rather than specialising in one.

If so, it could be a teachable moment for other European and UK operators looking around for ways in which to grow margins in lieu of any consumer 5G windfall – depending on if that ‘profitable growth’ box in the Lead the Future plan gets ticked of course.