Mitchell Lyons|Kate Brandis|Nicholas Murray|John H. Wilshire|Justin McCann|Richard T. Kingsford|Corey T. Callaghan
Monitoring large and complex wildlife aggregations with drones
Ecosystem Sciences|Ecosystem Sciences|Ecosystem Sciences|Ecosystem Sciences|Ecosystem Sciences|Ecosystem Sciences|Ecosystem Sciences
abstract recent advances drone technology rapidly led use monitoring managing wildlife populations broad generalised framework application complex wildlife aggregations still lacking present generalised semiautomated approach machine learning map targets interest drone imagery supported predictive modelling estimating wildlife aggregation populations demonstrated application four large spatially complex breeding waterbird colonies floodplains ranging c 20000 c 250000 birds providing estimates bird nests mapping modelling approach applicable four colonies without modification effectively dealing variation nest size shape colour density considerable background variation vegetation water sand soil etc semiautomated approach three eight times faster manually counting nests imagery level accuracy approach significant improvement monitoring large complex aggregations wildlife offering innovative solution ground counts costly difficult possible framework requires minimal technical ability opensource google earth engine r easy apply surveys