Can Drones Help Our Bird Populations?

Small unmanned vehicle systems (UVS), sometimes referred to as “drones” and formerly exclusive to militaries, are rapidly advancing in sophistication and availability to civilians. Ranging from hand-launched autonomous airplanes to terrestrial robots to underwater machines, they are increasingly being employed in such areas as agriculture, emergency services, meteorology, and oceanography. Small UVS are now being used in the field of bird research and management, for example, conducting population surveys, tracking radio-tagged birds, sensing and observing birds in inaccessible or dangerous places, mapping and monitoring bird habitats, and deterring nuisance bird species. Join Dr. David M. Bird, Emeritus Professor of Wildlife Biology, McGill University, as he explores these applications of UVS for research, management, and conservation in the world of birds.

Image courtesy U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

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