Biology fieldwork, wildlife conservation and herd monitoring are all important activities for collecting data that help us understand animal populations and behaviours. These are challenging, however, in that many animals are spooked by humans and retreat to dense vegetation or difficult terrain for humans, making it difficult to spot and count them. Today’s fieldworkers are finding new ways to track and monitor wildlife across the remotest environments, by using drones and thermal imaging.

Thermal Drones are increasingly used among biologists, conservationists and herd managers alike, enabling more accurate, efficient and convenient surveys.

How Do Drones Work?

Drones, also known as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), are small, remote-controlled aircraft equipped with various sensors. They fly using rotating propellers, similar to a helicopter’s propellers, that create lift. Most drones have 4 propellers. These spin in alternate directions to keep the drone stable. They also have a ‘central flight controller’ which maintains stability and controls speed.

Drones use cameras to show the pilot their surroundings, and GPS systems to transmit the location. They are also able to fly over long distances, avoid obstacles and maintain their position against factors such as wind. They use radio signals to relay video information back to the pilot.

Pilots can preset the routes for some drones using GPS coordinates, which the drone will fly to autonomously.

Thermal imaging drones are especially useful for wildlife surveys, as they convert infrared energy into digital images. Thermal imaging works by using an infrared or thermal sensor which picks up heat signatures. This heat data is converted to an image that shows the differentials in temperature with colour contrast. The image is created using a complex algorithm and shown on an OLED or AMOLED display.

Viewing warm-blooded animals such as mammals, marsupials and birds becomes much easier using thermal imaging than by eye, as they can not hide using camoflage or long grass, for instance.

Benefits of Using Thermal Drones in Wildlife Monitoring

Aerial View: viewing herds or flocks of animals from above can support more accurate counts. Counting livestock or herd animals from the side is often a case of counting heads and hoping they don’t move around too much, as their bodies obscure one another. A bird’s eye view, you can tell one body from another without error.

Thermal Imaging: With a thermal drone, wildlife surveys can be more accurate than optical vision. Even when they blend in with vegetation, the metabolic heat animals emit is picked up by the drone’s thermal sensor and appears bright on the screen.

Terrain No Issue: While traditional fieldwork may involve climbing mountains or navigating marshy ground, drones can access these places with ease, improving safety and ease of work for researchers. Even landowners counting their own livestock can find uncounted herd members hiding in valleys or behind mounds more quickly using a drone, minimising walking.
Autel’s Evo Max 4T can transmit images up to 12.4 miles away, and uses surrounding environmental data to construct 3D flight plans through mountains, forests and buildings.

Real-time Data Transmission: Fieldworkers can analyse image data as they’re transmitted, gaining immediate knowledge of animal behaviour and populations and allowing immediate decision-making required when tracking herds or lone animals. Many drone cameras are able to record high resolution video during transmission, even in thermal mode, so you can review images later.

Autonomous Flight: Rather than concentrating on controlling the drone, researchers can set the flight path of the drone along their transect. The Evo Max 4T is equipped with obstacle detection and radar, minimising crashes in the proper operating conditions. The drone will fly autonomously, so the researcher can focus on counting and recording the animals on screen.

Reduced Disturbance: Traditional monitoring methods, such as ground surveys, can struggle to gain accurate observations without some level of disturbance. Drones, on the other hand, can capture data from a safe distance without causing stress to animals. Choosing a drone with a good optical zoom to get the best images.

Precision: High-resolution cameras and thermal sensors on drones provide detailed data, allowing researchers to identify individual animals, track their movements, and monitor population dynamics.

Enhanced Safety: Drones eliminate the risks associated with sending humans into hazardous environments, ensuring the safety of researchers while collecting valuable data.

Rapid Response: Drones can be deployed quickly to assess wildlife populations and habitats in response to environmental events like wildfires, floods, or natural disasters.

Legality of Using Drones in the UK

In the United Kingdom, using drones for wildlife monitoring and research is subject to certain regulations and legal requirements.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) oversees drone operations and has established guidelines to ensure safety and privacy. Key rules include:

• Never fly more than 120m (400ft) above the surface
• Always keep your drone or model aircraft in sight
• Never fly in an airport’s flight restriction zone unless you have permission

Using drones for Wildlife Monitoring in the UK: The Legal Bit

Registration: Operators of drones with cameras or which weigh more than 250g must register with the CAA and pass an online theory test to get Flyer ID. This registers the flyer, not the drone, and ensures proper training. One Flyer ID can be used for multiple drones. Organisations such as the institution funding the research require an Operator ID, which should be marked on all drones under their operation.

Follow the Drone Code: The CAA's Drone Code outlines rules and best practices for safe drone operation, including respecting airspace and privacy. When it comes to wildlife observation, the only stipulation is not to disturb animals; check that the area has no restrictions on drone flight and make sure to keep a safe distance from wildlife, particularly nesting sites.

Privacy when flying drones: Flying in private spaces without permission puts you at risk of breaking data protection laws, and any images your drone takes may be covered by GDPR.

Considerations when Using Drones for Wildlife Monitoring

As well as ensuring everything is in line with the CAA regulations, researchers and landowners seeking a thermal drone for animal observation should consider the following factors.

• Battery Life: Choose a drone with enough power to last the duration of the survey. Because they can cover large distances quickly, a 30-60 minute flight provides ample time to locate and record animal groups.
• Speed: The top speed of the drone can maximise the time you can spend monitoring animals. Some models, such as Autel’s EVO II Dual 640T V3 can reach speeds of up to 45mph.
• Weather ratings: Adverse weather conditions, such as high winds, rain, or fog, can hinder some drone operations and compromise data quality. With an IP43 weather rated thermal drone, however rain or splashing water is no issue, and the low visibility caused by fog is easily countered by switching to thermal vision.
• Wind Resistance: some lightweight drones are easily blown off course by strong winds, which makes them rarely useable on high ground. Choose a drone that can resist wind speeds up to 25mph during take-off and landing to ensure full control.

Thermal Imaging and Wildlife Surveys

At Scott Country, we have supported conservation using thermal imaging equipment, providing static wildlife cameras and handheld thermal imagers to organisations across the UK.
Adding this technology to drones will drive faster data collection, better quality data and access to remote habitats to wildlife ecologists in the UK and around the world. With continued advancements in this technology, drones are poised to play an increasingly vital role in the protection of our planet's diverse and threatened species.