“Why should I use a drone for conservation?”

Quick insights
Wide range of use
Cost effective data aquisiton

Drones for conservation?

What is a environmental drone survey?

An environmental drone survey refers to the use of a drone to capture aerial data with downward-facing sensors, such as RGB or Multispectral payloads. During a drone survey with an RGB camera, the ground is photographed multiple times and each image is tagged with coordinates. After flight, these photos are processed in photogrammetry software such as PIX4D or Agisoft Metashape. The photogrammetry software can then recreate geo-referenced 3D maps, contour lines, digital terrain models, or digital surface models to be reviewed in geospatial software such as ArcGIS or QGIS.

What makes a drone the best option for aerial imagery?

A drone flies at the ideal cruising speed and altitude for extremely high-resolution imagery. Airplanes and satellites fly too fast and too high, which means they can’t capture the same level of detail. Drones can capture imagery and GPS data at the same time, giving you more information so you can create a more accurate rendering of the area.

Preserving the endangered spider monkey

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What exactly can an environmental drone do?

How can drone imaging help my conservation effort?

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are especially valuable in remote areas, where it might not be safe or feasible to conduct a survey on foot. You can get more comprehensive data with less risk by deploying a drone. Regardless of where you’re working, a drone can capture a comprehensive survey of a given area much faster than a team on foot. The imagery collected from drones can give you valuable insight into the health and changes of a given area.

With drone imagery you can monitor…

Individual animals and populations
Forest fires and subsequent damage
Ecosystems and habitats
Subsidence and erosion
Migration stages

Will a drone disturb the environment?

Some conservation areas are incredibly delicate and sensitive to even the most careful of survey teams. It can be challenging to record observations about stress signals and other critical metrics over time if you can’t physically enter the area to make direct visual inspection.

Terrestrial Restrictions

Drones can be programmed to fly a flight path that remains clear of restricted areas to protect the most sensitive habitats.

Noise Restrictions

Electric fixed wing drones are much quieter than even much smaller multirotors. Observation and inspection can be performed with minimal interference with the subjects.

When you invest in a drone, you’re investing in a long-term monitoring tool.

Consistent data for long-term conservation efforts.

Fly the same route over and over to collect data the same way every time.
Leave habitats undisturbed.
Safely Monitor Remote areas.

Make the investment today.
When you invest in a drone for conservation, you’re investing in the earth’s future. Fly as often as needed to gather the data needed to keep your projects on track.

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