Deployment of biologging tags on free swimming large whales using uncrewed aerial systems. Issue 4 (19th April 2023)
- Record Type:
- Journal Article
- Title:
- Deployment of biologging tags on free swimming large whales using uncrewed aerial systems. Issue 4 (19th April 2023)
- Main Title:
- Deployment of biologging tags on free swimming large whales using uncrewed aerial systems
- Authors:
- Wiley, David N.
Zadra, Christopher J.
Friedlaender, Ari S.
Parks, Susan E.
Pensarosa, Alicia
Rogan, Andy
Alex Shorter, K.
Urbán, Jorge
Kerr, Iain - Abstract:
- Abstract : Suction-cup-attached biologging tags have led to major advances in our understanding of large whale behaviour. Getting close enough to a whale at sea to safely attach a tag is a major limiting factor when deploying these systems. Here we present an uncrewed aerial system (UAS)-based tagging technique for free-swimming large whales and provide data on efficacy from field testing on blue ( Balaenoptera musculus ) and fin ( B. physalus ) whales. Rapid transit speed and the bird's-eye view of the animal during UAS tagging contributed to the technique's success. During 8 days of field testing, we had 29 occasions when a focal animal was identified for attempted tagging and tags were successfully attached 21 times. The technique was efficient, with mean flight time of 2 min 45 s from launch to deployment and a mean distance of 490 m from the launch vessel to tagged animal, reducing potential adverse effects resulting from close approaches for tagging. These data indicate that UAS are capable of attaching biologging tags to free-swimming large whales quickly and from large distances, potentially increasing success rates, decreasing attempt times, and reducing animal disruption during tagging.
- Is Part Of:
- Royal Society open science. Volume 10:Issue 4(2023)
- Journal:
- Royal Society open science
- Issue:
- Volume 10:Issue 4(2023)
- Issue Display:
- Volume 10, Issue 4 (2023)
- Year:
- 2023
- Volume:
- 10
- Issue:
- 4
- Issue Sort Value:
- 2023-0010-0004-0000
- Page Start:
- Page End:
- Publication Date:
- 2023-04-19
- Subjects:
- uncrewed aerial systems -- drones -- whales -- tagging -- biologging
Science -- Periodicals
500 - Journal URLs:
- https://royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rsos ↗
- DOI:
- 10.1098/rsos.221376 ↗
- Languages:
- English
- ISSNs:
- 2054-5703
- Deposit Type:
- Legaldeposit
- View Content:
- Available online (eLD content is only available in our Reading Rooms) ↗
- Physical Locations:
- British Library STI - ELD Digital store
- Ingest File:
- 26922.xml