Our oceans are crucial to the health of our planet. It’s never been more critical to ensure we’re doing everything we can to protect them.
Fortunately, a combination of innovative minds and advanced technology is helping us do exactly that. Specifically, drones seem to be playing a significant role in marine conservation. Explore some of the ways this unlikely technology is helping to forge a path to healthier oceans.
Raising awareness about our oceans
When discussing how drones are used in marine conservation, it’s crucial to mention that this technology is helping to raise public awareness of our oceans and their unique ecosystems. You see, the sea is a vast, alien place that we know very little about. Plus, there aren’t many people who get the opportunity to explore it extensively.
Historically, human beings have lacked a strong connection to the world beneath the waves and the significant impact it has on our lives. But, thanks to the world’s top underwater drones, we now possess the technology to change that. With high-quality cameras and unmatched diving capabilities, drones are making it easier than ever to document the beauty of these environments.
This means that people of all ages and backgrounds are reaping the benefits of more accessible education on marine wildlife and habitats. Inherently, the public is forming genuine connections with marine ecosystems, encouraging them to want to protect them.
Cleaning up our marine ecosystems
Drone technology is also helping scientists, researchers, and conservationists alike preserve marine ecosystems by cleaning them up. It’s no secret that our oceans are rife with trash and microplastics. The severity of this situation continues to become more apparent.
For this reason, tech companies like RanMarine have started using drone technology to chip away at the massive amounts of garbage suffocating our oceans and the wildlife that inhabits them. The Dutch company’s “WasteShark”—a drone with the ability to vacuum 130 pounds of floating debris per trip—is proof of these valiant efforts to conserve these wonderful environments.
Providing aerial mapping and measurements
Of course, drone technology also helps marine scientists gather aerial maps and precise measurements for some of the most hard-to-reach marine habitats on the planet. To illustrate how drones are used in marine conservation, we can refer to a group of scientists in the Antarctic. These scientists recently used drone technology to track and measure leopard seal populations on the unforgiving continent.
This helped scientists understand the environment and behavior of these animals. But more than that, it also kept them from having to capture, sedate, and study these animals before having to release them back into the wild. This technology also helps to make precise observations about other marine habitats like coral reefs and the open ocean.
