Drones and marine mammals in Svalbard, Norway
The impact of remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) on marine mammals remains poorly documented despite their increasing use. In the high-Arctic Archipelago of Svalbard, where marine mammals face increasing pressure from climate change and expanding tourism, the use of RPAS remains largely unregu...
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Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10037/23085 https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12802 |
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ftunivtroemsoe:oai:munin.uit.no:10037/23085 2023-05-15T14:28:53+02:00 Drones and marine mammals in Svalbard, Norway Palomino-González, Albert Kovacs, Kit M. Lydersen, Christian Ims, Rolf Anker Lowther, Andrew D. 2021-03-14 https://hdl.handle.net/10037/23085 https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12802 eng eng Wiley Marine mammal science Palomino-González, Kovacs, Lydersen, Ims, Lowther. Drones and marine mammals in Svalbard, Norway. Marine mammal science. 2021:1-18 FRIDAID 1926880 doi:10.1111/mms.12802 0824-0469 1748-7692 https://hdl.handle.net/10037/23085 openAccess Copyright 2021 The Author(s) VDP::Mathematics and natural science: 400::Zoology and botany: 480::Marine biology: 497 VDP::Matematikk og Naturvitenskap: 400::Zoologiske og botaniske fag: 480::Marinbiologi: 497 Journal article Tidsskriftartikkel Peer reviewed publishedVersion 2021 ftunivtroemsoe https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12802 2021-11-24T23:54:45Z The impact of remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) on marine mammals remains poorly documented despite their increasing use. In the high-Arctic Archipelago of Svalbard, where marine mammals face increasing pressure from climate change and expanding tourism, the use of RPAS remains largely unregulated. In this study we assessed the impacts of RPAS across a range of species to provide science-based management advice, using a variety of aircraft sizes and approach strategies. We explored RPAS sound levels and animal behavior prior to and after flights. Preexperimental alertness influenced sensitivity to disturbance notably. Harbor seals were more sensitive during prebreeding than during molting, reacting at distances of 80 m, whereas walruses responded at distances <50 m. Polar bears reacted to the sound of RPAS during take-off at 300 m, although response levels were relatively low. White whales reacted to the sight of RPAS when flown ahead of the pod, below 15 m. Variations in sound levels typical in overhead descents and manual flights increased disturbance potential more than RPAS size; preprogrammed flight paths are advised. Our study highlights factors that can influence sensitivity to RPAS including tidal state and swell, the presence of young individuals, ambient noise levels, and RPAS approach strategies. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Archipelago Arctic Climate change Svalbard walrus* University of Tromsø: Munin Open Research Archive Arctic Norway Svalbard Marine Mammal Science 37 4 1212 1229 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of Tromsø: Munin Open Research Archive |
op_collection_id |
ftunivtroemsoe |
language |
English |
topic |
VDP::Mathematics and natural science: 400::Zoology and botany: 480::Marine biology: 497 VDP::Matematikk og Naturvitenskap: 400::Zoologiske og botaniske fag: 480::Marinbiologi: 497 |
spellingShingle |
VDP::Mathematics and natural science: 400::Zoology and botany: 480::Marine biology: 497 VDP::Matematikk og Naturvitenskap: 400::Zoologiske og botaniske fag: 480::Marinbiologi: 497 Palomino-González, Albert Kovacs, Kit M. Lydersen, Christian Ims, Rolf Anker Lowther, Andrew D. Drones and marine mammals in Svalbard, Norway |
topic_facet |
VDP::Mathematics and natural science: 400::Zoology and botany: 480::Marine biology: 497 VDP::Matematikk og Naturvitenskap: 400::Zoologiske og botaniske fag: 480::Marinbiologi: 497 |
description |
The impact of remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) on marine mammals remains poorly documented despite their increasing use. In the high-Arctic Archipelago of Svalbard, where marine mammals face increasing pressure from climate change and expanding tourism, the use of RPAS remains largely unregulated. In this study we assessed the impacts of RPAS across a range of species to provide science-based management advice, using a variety of aircraft sizes and approach strategies. We explored RPAS sound levels and animal behavior prior to and after flights. Preexperimental alertness influenced sensitivity to disturbance notably. Harbor seals were more sensitive during prebreeding than during molting, reacting at distances of 80 m, whereas walruses responded at distances <50 m. Polar bears reacted to the sound of RPAS during take-off at 300 m, although response levels were relatively low. White whales reacted to the sight of RPAS when flown ahead of the pod, below 15 m. Variations in sound levels typical in overhead descents and manual flights increased disturbance potential more than RPAS size; preprogrammed flight paths are advised. Our study highlights factors that can influence sensitivity to RPAS including tidal state and swell, the presence of young individuals, ambient noise levels, and RPAS approach strategies. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Palomino-González, Albert Kovacs, Kit M. Lydersen, Christian Ims, Rolf Anker Lowther, Andrew D. |
author_facet |
Palomino-González, Albert Kovacs, Kit M. Lydersen, Christian Ims, Rolf Anker Lowther, Andrew D. |
author_sort |
Palomino-González, Albert |
title |
Drones and marine mammals in Svalbard, Norway |
title_short |
Drones and marine mammals in Svalbard, Norway |
title_full |
Drones and marine mammals in Svalbard, Norway |
title_fullStr |
Drones and marine mammals in Svalbard, Norway |
title_full_unstemmed |
Drones and marine mammals in Svalbard, Norway |
title_sort |
drones and marine mammals in svalbard, norway |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
https://hdl.handle.net/10037/23085 https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12802 |
geographic |
Arctic Norway Svalbard |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Norway Svalbard |
genre |
Arctic Archipelago Arctic Climate change Svalbard walrus* |
genre_facet |
Arctic Archipelago Arctic Climate change Svalbard walrus* |
op_relation |
Marine mammal science Palomino-González, Kovacs, Lydersen, Ims, Lowther. Drones and marine mammals in Svalbard, Norway. Marine mammal science. 2021:1-18 FRIDAID 1926880 doi:10.1111/mms.12802 0824-0469 1748-7692 https://hdl.handle.net/10037/23085 |
op_rights |
openAccess Copyright 2021 The Author(s) |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12802 |
container_title |
Marine Mammal Science |
container_volume |
37 |
container_issue |
4 |
container_start_page |
1212 |
op_container_end_page |
1229 |
_version_ |
1766303021142114304 |