How Drones are Transforming Marine Research

Ocean Alliance is an organisation that protects whales and their oceans via research, scientific collaboration, public education, and the arts. Their latest idea to attach data tags to whales with drones could change everything.

Your mind may jump to rainforests or polar ice caps when talking about climate change prevention. However recent research reveals that oceans are more key to climate change mitigation than we previously thought.

In fact, scientists found that phytoplankton, microscopic plants that float on the ocean's surface, absorb 10-20 billion tonnes of CO2 annually. That's equal to the amount of carbon that all the world’s rainforests trap per year.

Whales are among the largest creatures on Earth and their bodies are enormous stores of carbon, acting as fertilising machines in the ocean.

A 2019 study predicted that if whales returned to population levels?pre-commercial whaling, phytoplankton would flourish and carbon sequestering would skyrocket.

However, commercial whaling is not over. Conservation groups are tackling this by using drones to gather evidence of illegal poaching.

DJI, a leading drone manufacturer, and Massachusetts-based Ocean Alliance have collaborated since 2015. Instead of an invasive biopsy, CEO Dr Iain Kerr and his team would fly a Petri dish laden DJI Inspire through its blow. This cloud of exhalation would reveal the mammal's hormones, DNA, and habitat.

This concept was named SnotBot.

This answered the biggest problem - how can you collect whale data without chasing and shooting them?

Ocean Alliance was the first to employ drones to revolutionise tagging in February 2022 in the Gulf of California. Using modified DJI M210s, they dropped suction cup tags on over twenty whales, with an 100% success rate with Fin whales.

Dr. David Wiley from NOAA’s Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary was a partner on the project and stated that,

“It’s a game-changer for whales, people, and science,” he says. “In the 25 years I’ve been tagging whales, we have always dreamed of being able to place tags on animals from the air. The real-time aerial perspective allows whales to be followed underwater and researchers to be in position when they surface to quickly attach tags to them.”?

How does it work?

When the animal's back rises to the surface, the pilot releases the tag. 3D-printed fittings keep it upright while the whale descends. When the whale dives down again, the pressure secures the tag.?Researchers use fixed timing systems to track and gather the tags.

This new method is better, faster, and cheaper than before and is also non-invasive and stress-free.

“There are enormous challenges facing humanity, but it’s never been a more exciting time to be involved in this field. The tools DJI are developing are changing the game - not just in how we collect data and what can be collected, but in terms of who can collect that data. This is just the beginning.” - Dr. Iain Kerr, Ocean Alliance.

Ocean Alliance's drones allow researchers worldwide to study and restore these species opening up a new wave of data and solutions to preserve our planet and its habitats.

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