As concerns over climate change heat up – literally – scientists have found a new use for UAVs – the study and conservation of reefs across the globe and how they change as the climate heats up.
In Haiti, marine biologist Steve Schill is deploying an amphibious quadcopter to video coastal ecological conditions and double check the accuracy of satellite imagery.
Writing for Nature, Schill, who works with the Nature Conservancy’s Caribbean program, provides intricate details:
“Weighing in at just under 5 pounds, ‘Henri’ … has a tough, floatable KYDEX® frame equipped with a high-def GoPro camera, an GPS enabled-autopilot chip, and other navigation electronics tucked neatly inside an upside-down Tupperware container mounted on top that serves as a perfect waterproof housing.”
Designed by one of Schill’s graduate students, the UAV can be guided manually or set to an autonomous mode. “The video footage gave us a sense of the ocean dynamics around the reef and allowed us to identify species of interest such green turtles and rare corals, such as Acropora palmate,” Schill said.
Meanwhile, in American Samoa, Stanford aeronautics graduate student Ved Chirayath leads the charge in marine-biological drone use after creating the first autonomous flying drone to map and measure shallow-water reefs.
Along with Stephen Palumbi, director of the Stanford Hopkins Marine Station, Chirayath uses a quadcopter drone capable of filming coral reefs from up to 200 feet in the air. Researchers can use the footage to find out how coral reefs off Ofu Island are affected by climate change. Using special lensing technology, Chirayath’s drone is able to provide clear video imagery despite water ripples or waves.
In a RedOrbit.com interview, Chirayath compared his coral images to “sketchbook drawings of a person behind a waterfall. The person’s face might be distorted in a photograph, but a sketch artist could painstakingly recreate the face over time.”
“It’s an ability to rapidly assimilate a vast amount of data and, in effect, see through strong optical distortions,” he added.
As new technologies emerge in the UAV sector, no doubt scientists will discover more ways to conserve and manage the fragile balance of nature in the deep blue sea. Schill is optimistic about the future of drones and marine biology:
“We … all gained a new appreciation for drone technology and what it offers the conservation world – a promising future in providing a new and exciting lens to visualize our dynamic world. This new window will provide enhanced information to protected area managers on a more regular basis to allow them to monitor impacts, assess the health of habitats and evaluate the success of management strategies.”
To view video from the Haiti project, click here:
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