Drones are revolutionizing whale research, but they’re also creating new problems. (ABC News: Lucy Seiden-Brown)
In short:
Whale researchers say they are frustrated by the frequent and irresponsible flights by amateur drone operators.
Researchers say this puts their own drones at risk and hinders research.
What’s next?
This problem is difficult to regulate, but hopefully a solution can be found without introducing more stringent rules.
Whale researcher Grace Russell recalls in disbelief seeing seven drones circling a humpback whale and its calf off Western Australia’s south coast.
She said: “Seeing seven drones flying over a pair of humpback whales made me realize that people’s desire for imagery overrides respect for wildlife, and that’s really disturbing.
It’s just one example of crowding over whales that scientists say can interfere with important research and harm animal welfare.
Drones have revolutionized whale research, allowing scientists to easily spot, track and film these mammals. They can measure weights, place trackers and collect breath and mucus samples.
Researchers in southwestern Australia say they often miss opportunities to study whales because amateur drone pilots illegally fly their drones close to the whales. They warn that some “whale influencers” are among those who often make this mistake.
Drones crowd the sky over whales
Multiple researchers told the ABC that when they tried to maneuver their drones into ideal research positions, they had to compete with other drone operators who were flying below the legal minimum altitude.
Researchers usually have permission to fly below the legal minimum altitude, which they obtain after undergoing training and registering their equipment with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.
Dr Russell, of Margaret River, said unlicensed operators who violated regulations could have their drones collide with whales and injure them.
She said the occurrences have become increasingly frequent and frustrating, including when she saw seven drones above a humpback whale and its calf.
Whale scientist Dr Grace Russell said drones were a problem for both researchers and whales. (Image: Supplied)
“In this case, launching the drone was a violation of the permit, so I was unable to collect data to study this group and understand their health,” Dr. Russell said.
Fredrik Christiansen, a researcher at Aarhus University in Denmark, has been at the forefront of drone cetacean research, working in areas including Australia and Greenland.
Dr Christiansen said he had recently experienced a number of near-collision incidents on the French island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean, while his colleague Kate Sprogis from the University of Western Australia said it was a problem she had encountered while working in Albany.
Dr Sprogis and Dr Christiansen use drones to track how humpback whales expend energy during reproduction. (ABC News: Jamie Thannoo)
“A lot of people have drones .. and that’s a problem because if a drone collides with your drone, you both lose your drone,” he said.
While the science is unclear, studies in New Zealand and Canada have found that bottlenose dolphins and beluga whales become more fearful when planes fly over them.
‘Recipe for disaster’
The problem has also caused trouble for a whale watching boat in southwest Western Australia.
Paul Cross, owner of Naturaliste Charters, said it was a “recipe for disaster” when multiple drones flew close to his company’s boat and the tourists on board.
“The drones were very close to each other.. if they collided, there would be a boat with up to 90 passengers on board,” he said.
“It’s really disturbing .. people are looking up and not seeing the whales.”
Naturaliste Charters runs research trips and whale watching cruises in southern Western Australia. (Source: Naturaliste Charters)
Mr Cross said the offending pilot then tried to sell him the footage.
“They were filming scenes with whales on our boat, and then the next minute they were contacting us asking if we’d like to buy some footage,” he said.
Mr Cross said he always turned down the offers.
Challenge for the law
Throughout Australia, there are legal limits on how close drones can be flown over marine mammals without a permit.
In Western Australia, drones must be kept at least 60 metres away; in New South Wales and Queensland, the limit is 100 metres; in South Australia and Tasmania, the limit is 300 metres; and in Victoria, the limit is 500 metres.
However, enforcing these rules is difficult because pilots may be hundreds or thousands of meters away from their drones.
WA’s Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attraction (DBCA) said it was aware of the issue but noted there were challenges with enforcement.
A spokesman said: “The mainland coastline is about 13,000 kilometers long, which makes it very difficult to monitor.
Rodney Peterson, head of the Banbury Geographic Ocean Research Group, said he hoped education would build a culture of responsibility so that more restrictive rules would not be needed.
“If these drone pilots continue to do this .. it could eventually lead to areas where drones are banned unless you participate in the research.
“We really don’t want to get into that phase.”
However, Peterson said he has seen many drone pilots continue to fly irresponsibly despite being warned.
These repeat offenders include “whale influencers” who post their photos to their thousands of followers on Instagram.