Drones Offer New Perspective on Seals and Sea Ice Monitoring in the Arctic
15.12.2010 - Logistics, Water & Oceans, Ice & Snow, Flora & Fauna, Arctic
A new research project from the University of Colorado at Boulder could change the way seal surveys are conducted in the Arctic. Using cameras mounted on unmanned drones to fly over the Arctic, it allows scientists to survey seals and assess the characteristics of declining sea ice in the region.
To survey these areas, the team relies on the "Scan Eagle", an unmanned aircraft launched from the NOAA vessel Mc Arthur II over the Bering Sea in 2009, which has already collected 27,000 images during flights lasting from two to eight hours. The drones will allow researchers to survey remote areas without putting pilots and observers at risk, according to research team leader, Dr. Elizabeth Weatherhead.
Although the survey was conducted on a small scale, the team found that there is an incredible variety of ice and are now looking for ways to model it. Biologists are also thrilled about the survey, as the recognition software used to identify the seals could offer new perspectives for monitoring seal populations. The concept, the team believes, can be further extended and its results are coupled with forecasts of future sea ice extent and ice characteristics.
