TY - JOUR
T1 - Going batty
T2 - the challenges and opportunities of using drones to monitor the behaviour and habitat use of rays
AU - Oleksyn, Semonn
AU - Tosetto, Louise
AU - Raoult, Vincent
AU - Joyce, Karen E.
AU - Williamson, Jane E.
PY - 2021/3
Y1 - 2021/3
N2 - The way an animal behaves in its habitat provides insight into its ecological role. As such, collecting robust, accurate datasets in a time-efficient manner is an ever-present pressure for the field of behavioural ecology. Faced with the shortcomings and physical limitations of traditional ground-based data collection techniques, particularly in marine studies, drones offer a low-cost and efficient approach for collecting data in a range of coastal environments. Despite drones being widely used to monitor a range of marine animals, they currently remain underutilised in ray research. The innovative application of drones in environmental and ecological studies has presented novel opportunities in animal observation and habitat assessment, although this emerging field faces substantial challenges. As we consider the possibility to monitor rays using drones, we face challenges related to local aviation regulations, the weather and environment, as well as sensor and platform limitations. Promising solutions continue to be developed, however, growing the potential for drone-based monitoring of behaviour and habitat use of rays. While the barriers to enter this field may appear daunting for researchers with little experience with drones, the technology is becoming increasingly accessible, helping ray researchers obtain a wide range of highly useful data.
AB - The way an animal behaves in its habitat provides insight into its ecological role. As such, collecting robust, accurate datasets in a time-efficient manner is an ever-present pressure for the field of behavioural ecology. Faced with the shortcomings and physical limitations of traditional ground-based data collection techniques, particularly in marine studies, drones offer a low-cost and efficient approach for collecting data in a range of coastal environments. Despite drones being widely used to monitor a range of marine animals, they currently remain underutilised in ray research. The innovative application of drones in environmental and ecological studies has presented novel opportunities in animal observation and habitat assessment, although this emerging field faces substantial challenges. As we consider the possibility to monitor rays using drones, we face challenges related to local aviation regulations, the weather and environment, as well as sensor and platform limitations. Promising solutions continue to be developed, however, growing the potential for drone-based monitoring of behaviour and habitat use of rays. While the barriers to enter this field may appear daunting for researchers with little experience with drones, the technology is becoming increasingly accessible, helping ray researchers obtain a wide range of highly useful data.
KW - UAV
KW - UAS
KW - RPA
KW - benthic habitat mapping
KW - ray ecology
KW - coastal environments
KW - batoidea
KW - Benthic habitat mapping
KW - Ray ecology
KW - Batoidea
KW - Coastal environments
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85101497939&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/drones5010012
DO - 10.3390/drones5010012
M3 - Review article
SN - 2504-446X
VL - 5
SP - 1
EP - 15
JO - Drones
JF - Drones
IS - 1
M1 - 12
ER -