A Day on the Savanna | Spring 2026 | SDSU Magazine

A Day on the Savanna | Spring 2026 | SDSU Magazine
A Day on the Savanna
This drone is equipped with a pyranometer-pyrgeometer instrument. Robert Collins uses it to measure land radiation. Photograph courtesy of Robert Collins
SDSU geography students Robert Collins and Ibisia Jack track how fire alters ecosystems, rainfall and climate through hands-on field research in Botswana.
By Leslie L.J. Reilly and Robert Collins
On the savannas of Botswana, fire is a constant presence, and understanding its impact
has brought Robert Collins, a San Diego State University master’s student, to the country for a third time as part of a NASA-supported grant.
Led by geography Associate Professor Fernando De Sales, the research team includes Ibisia Jack, an SDSU doctoral student in geography, and collaborators from UCLA, UC Berkeley and the University of Virginia. Together, they’re studying how fire reshapes savanna vegetation and rainfall through land-atmosphere interactions.
While Jack conducted interviews with locals, farmers and University of Botswana students to better understand their perspectives on fire and climate change, Collins focused on field data.
“My personal goals were to become more familiar with drones,” Collins says, “and how to fly them, how to use them, how to process the data.”
This story follows a day in Collins’ fieldwork, where drone flights, data challenges and unpredictable weather define life as a climate researcher.
6:30 A.M.
With an early start to the day, we build a campfire to boil water for coffee and make breakfast, which is usually oatmeal or granola.
7:30 A.M.
We assemble fieldwork equipment, including drones, generator, pyranometer/pyrgeometer, weather balloons, helium tanks and data stations. Pack personal bags with necessary items like food and laptops.
Photograph courtesy of Robert Collins
8 A.M.
Every day is a different field site. The shortest drive is about 45 minutes, and the longest is four hours. Sometimes we cross paths with lions, giraffes, leopard tortoises and other creatures.
Photograph courtesy of Robert Collins
9 A.M.
Time for fieldwork. Emphasis on work. We set up an awning for shade to combat temperatures of 100 degrees-plus, assemble the tower configuration for incoming radiation measurements and ready the drones. We wait for the best opportunity to launch. This depends heavily on cloud cover, as clouds obscure incoming radiation, cause shadows and throw off our measurements.
3 P.M.
Before we break down the equipment and drive back to base camp, we ensure data from the drone and tower station are properly offloaded.
Photograph courtesy of Robert Collins
4 P.M.
This is our time to take care of any logistical issues such as auto repairs or picking up tools we might need. Running a field campaign in a foreign country is tricky, and sourcing the right tools, materials and labor can be challenging. We also enjoy interacting with the locals. One day we showed students from Ngwatle Primary School how to fly drones.
Photograph courtesy of Robert Collins
6 P.M.
Back at camp, instruments sometimes break and need creative repairs. We’ve used soldering and electrical tape to fix broken wires and jimmied solar panels to power our Wi-Fi unit. It’s also a good time for Zoom calls and to review data collected from the day. Sometimes we drive into the village to refill our water barrel for drinking, cooking and bathing.
7 P.M.
On good days, we’ll have steak for dinner, or if we’re really lucky, our colleagues from the University of Botswana display their culinary prowess and prepare some traditional meals for us. Beef seswaa, which I often buy from roadside vendors, is my favorite.
Photograph courtesy of Robert Collins
9 P.M.
We have to make sure all our food is stored properly to avoid unwanted animal guests. Once that’s done, we wind down and enjoy some conversation around the campfire or watch a rugby match with the help of our Starlink unit. It’s also free time to wander and admire nocturnal geckos.
10:30 P.M.
It’s bedtime at last—and we all hope it doesn’t rain. It is the rainy season, and I’d already lost a couple of books when water found its way into my tent through a big hole—another creative fix needed.
Ibisia Jack deploys this weather balloon to track fire-related atmospheric anomalies. Photograph courtesy of Ibisia Jack