4 Ways Drones are Being Used for Environmental Conservation

Photo by Matt Pritchard

New technologies don’t always have the best reputation for being environmentally sustainable. Although, there is a new movement to use tech for good. There are many new up and coming methods for applying technologies as a way to alleviate the negative impacts that our environment is facing including the use of drones.  

Researchers and conservationists are at the frontlines of discovering how drones can be used to gather data and monitor the environment. Read on to see how drones are changing the game of conservation! 

1. Observing Ocean Megafauna

Ocean ecologists and conservationists are using drones to provide birds'-eye views of ocean health.

Ocean ecosystems are the lifeblood of the planet, and a healthy ocean is necessary for the overall health of interconnected ecosystems across the globe. Unfortunately, many ocean ecosystems are experiencing rapid deterioration of which monitoring can provide insight to prevent further degradation.

Many of these ecosystems can be hard to monitor, however. They may be too far out at sea, or in waters that are so shallow, boats can't reach them. Sometimes, conservationists will use aerial flights to gather data, but this approach has its limits and of course a sizable CO2 footprint. Other, more cost-effective approaches exist, but they're often invasive, and can disrupt or distress wildlife.

More recently, researchers have started using consumer-grade drones to monitor megafauna in aquatic habitats. These drones have high-quality imaging tech that researchers can use to non-invasively monitor large wildlife like sharks, rays and sea turtles in shallow waters.

2. Monitoring Protected Oceans

Some of the most impacted ocean ecosystems are deep-sea ocean ecosystems (those more than 200 miles off the coast) which have been devastated by overfishing.

Creating and protecting sanctuaries where fishing is prohibited or limited can go a long way in restoring fish stocks within these ecosystems. However, not every fishing company will automatically follow the laws that establish these sanctuaries. Monitoring and enforcement is, more often than not, necessary. 

Typically, coast guards or other observers will monitor these sanctuaries with regular aerial flights. Unfortunately, they run into the same problems as conservationists, however — flights are expensive and don't provide cost-effective coverage.

To make up for the limitations of using aerial flights, conservationists have started using drones to monitor these protected areas. While not in widespread use yet, a few smaller scale projects have tested drones in ocean monitoring. For example, there's SoarOcean, a National Geographic-funded project that uses UAVs to monitor ocean conservation efforts.

3. Tracking Forest Health and Reseeding Deforested Areas

Having an eye in the sky can also be extremely valuable for conservationists looking to defend forests and jungles from deforestation and illegal burning. In the Amazon, for example, communities have used drones to monitor local forest health. These drones provide a view of new growth, where deforestation is taking place and overall forest degradation, which would otherwise be difficult to fully get a look into from only being on the ground. 

The information drones provide can therefore inform these communities on how to approach forest conservation and stop the actions that are causing harm.

Some forest conservationists use drones in a more hands-on way. For example, one drone company in the U.S. has developed a new drone capable of precisely reseeding deforested areas. Due to the fact that many deforested areas are remote or in difficult to reach terrains, getting to the locations to assess the damage and implement solutions can be difficult for ecologists. Drones like these allow them to remotely reseed these forests, helping to encourage new tree growth.

4. Using Drones to Manage Wildfires

Another important use for drones, which may be shocking at first, is to create wildfires. 

In some states in the U.S.'s Great Plains, ecologists are using fireball-launching drones to create wildfires on the Plains and in some western forests.

These fires — called controlled or prescribed burns — actually prevent larger wildfires and encourage new forest growth. In any forest, “wildfire fuel” builds up on the forest floor over time, usually in the form of dead leaves, branches, brush and other debris.  If you leave this “fuel” unburned, you run the risk of much larger forest fires in the long-run.

Fire is part of the lifecycle of many forests and preventing fire consistently can be a contributing factor to wildfires like those seen in California in 2018. Controlled burns started by drones can prevent these more serious fires and encourage new growth.

How Drones May Help Us Restore Forest and Ocean Ecosystems

Drones — both commercial- and consumer-grade — are helping conservationists find new ways to save the environment. At sea, drones are being used to monitor areas when boats and planes aren't a practical option. Communities are using drones in a similar way to keep an eye on forest health.

Other approaches to drone-based conservation and restoration are a little more hands-on. Some conservationists are using drones to reseed deforested areas. Others are using drones to start controlled burns in forests, plains and brush country, clearing the way for new growth. 

The possibilities for using drones for environmental conservation are endless and with the development of drone capabilities, they can be key in the fight against environmental harm.