Location, location, location: considerations when using lightweight drones in challenging environments
Abstract Lightweight drones have emerged recently as a remote sensing survey tool of choice for ecologists, conservation practitioners and environmental scientists. In published work, there are plentiful details on the parameters and settings used for successful data capture, but in contrast there i...
Published in: | Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation |
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/rse2.58 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Frse2.58 https://zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/rse2.58 |
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crwiley:10.1002/rse2.58 2024-06-23T07:56:19+00:00 Location, location, location: considerations when using lightweight drones in challenging environments Duffy, James P. Cunliffe, Andrew M. DeBell, Leon Sandbrook, Chris Wich, Serge A. Shutler, Jamie D. Myers‐Smith, Isla H. Varela, Miguel R. Anderson, Karen Pettorelli, Nathalie Horning, Ned Natural Environment Research Council Technology Strategy Board European Space Agency 2017 http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/rse2.58 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Frse2.58 https://zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/rse2.58 en eng Wiley http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation volume 4, issue 1, page 7-19 ISSN 2056-3485 2056-3485 journal-article 2017 crwiley https://doi.org/10.1002/rse2.58 2024-06-13T04:21:46Z Abstract Lightweight drones have emerged recently as a remote sensing survey tool of choice for ecologists, conservation practitioners and environmental scientists. In published work, there are plentiful details on the parameters and settings used for successful data capture, but in contrast there is a dearth of information describing the operational complexity of drone deployment. Information about the practices of flying in the field, whilst currently lacking, would be useful for others embarking on new drone‐based investigations. As a group of drone‐piloting scientists, we have operated lightweight drones for research in over 25 projects, in over 10 countries, and in polar, desert, coastal and tropical ecosystems, with many hundreds of hours of flying experience between us. The purpose of this paper was to document the lesser‐reported methodological pitfalls of drone deployments so that other scientists can understand the spectrum of considerations that need to be accounted for prior to, and during drone survey flights. Herein, we describe the most common challenges encountered, alongside mitigation and remediation actions that increase the chances of safe and successful data capture. Challenges are grouped into the following categories: (i) pre‐flight planning, (ii) flight operations, (iii) weather, (iv) redundancy, (v) data quality, (vi) batteries. We also discuss the importance of scientists undertaking ethical assessment of their drone practices, to identify and mitigate potential conflicts associated with drone use in particular areas. By sharing our experience, our intention is that the paper will assist those embarking on new drone deployments, increasing the efficacy of acquiring high‐quality data from this new proximal aerial viewpoint. Article in Journal/Newspaper polar desert Wiley Online Library Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation 4 1 7 19 |
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English |
description |
Abstract Lightweight drones have emerged recently as a remote sensing survey tool of choice for ecologists, conservation practitioners and environmental scientists. In published work, there are plentiful details on the parameters and settings used for successful data capture, but in contrast there is a dearth of information describing the operational complexity of drone deployment. Information about the practices of flying in the field, whilst currently lacking, would be useful for others embarking on new drone‐based investigations. As a group of drone‐piloting scientists, we have operated lightweight drones for research in over 25 projects, in over 10 countries, and in polar, desert, coastal and tropical ecosystems, with many hundreds of hours of flying experience between us. The purpose of this paper was to document the lesser‐reported methodological pitfalls of drone deployments so that other scientists can understand the spectrum of considerations that need to be accounted for prior to, and during drone survey flights. Herein, we describe the most common challenges encountered, alongside mitigation and remediation actions that increase the chances of safe and successful data capture. Challenges are grouped into the following categories: (i) pre‐flight planning, (ii) flight operations, (iii) weather, (iv) redundancy, (v) data quality, (vi) batteries. We also discuss the importance of scientists undertaking ethical assessment of their drone practices, to identify and mitigate potential conflicts associated with drone use in particular areas. By sharing our experience, our intention is that the paper will assist those embarking on new drone deployments, increasing the efficacy of acquiring high‐quality data from this new proximal aerial viewpoint. |
author2 |
Pettorelli, Nathalie Horning, Ned Natural Environment Research Council Technology Strategy Board European Space Agency |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Duffy, James P. Cunliffe, Andrew M. DeBell, Leon Sandbrook, Chris Wich, Serge A. Shutler, Jamie D. Myers‐Smith, Isla H. Varela, Miguel R. Anderson, Karen |
spellingShingle |
Duffy, James P. Cunliffe, Andrew M. DeBell, Leon Sandbrook, Chris Wich, Serge A. Shutler, Jamie D. Myers‐Smith, Isla H. Varela, Miguel R. Anderson, Karen Location, location, location: considerations when using lightweight drones in challenging environments |
author_facet |
Duffy, James P. Cunliffe, Andrew M. DeBell, Leon Sandbrook, Chris Wich, Serge A. Shutler, Jamie D. Myers‐Smith, Isla H. Varela, Miguel R. Anderson, Karen |
author_sort |
Duffy, James P. |
title |
Location, location, location: considerations when using lightweight drones in challenging environments |
title_short |
Location, location, location: considerations when using lightweight drones in challenging environments |
title_full |
Location, location, location: considerations when using lightweight drones in challenging environments |
title_fullStr |
Location, location, location: considerations when using lightweight drones in challenging environments |
title_full_unstemmed |
Location, location, location: considerations when using lightweight drones in challenging environments |
title_sort |
location, location, location: considerations when using lightweight drones in challenging environments |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2017 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/rse2.58 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Frse2.58 https://zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/rse2.58 |
genre |
polar desert |
genre_facet |
polar desert |
op_source |
Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation volume 4, issue 1, page 7-19 ISSN 2056-3485 2056-3485 |
op_rights |
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1002/rse2.58 |
container_title |
Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation |
container_volume |
4 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
7 |
op_container_end_page |
19 |
_version_ |
1802649319858241536 |