Unlike domesticated animals or those kept in zoos, wild animals are faced with a constant battle to survive. Unfortunately, humans have made the ability for many animals to survive harder than ever. The destruction of habitats, poaching, and pollution are all factors that have led to the demise of many species. Animal conservationists have long tried to do all they can to protect vulnerable wildlife creatures. In recent years though, new technology has made it easier for conservationists to study animals and provide better conservation methods. Several years ago Dr. Debbie Saunders, an ecologist, realized that drones would make excellent tools to aid conservationists.

For over two decades, Dr. Saunders has dedicated her life to studying the movements of migratory birds, specifically the highly endangered Swift Parrot. Like many of her colleagues, Dr. Saunders found that being able to track the birds as they migrated between Australia and Tasmania was extremely difficult. The best tool they had at their disposal were tiny radio transmitters that would be attached to birds. However, getting the transmitters on the birds was never ideal. Once a bird was successfully tagged, the fast flying birds were still very hard to track on foot or even by vehicle. So Dr. Saunders became a licensed drone pilot and developed the world’s most comprehensive wildlife drone tracking project called Wildlife Drones.

Animal subjects still need to be tracked, but monitoring them is no longer an issue. “At Wildlife Drones, we have developed the world’s most advanced radio-tracking drone system that can provide you with real-time locations on multiple animals all at once,” their website explains. “By getting the drone to do the hard work for you, you can reduce the time and effort it takes to track and monitor tagged animals. This also means that you will have the power to collect more data, more often.” The system developed by Dr. Saunders for Wildlife Drones can be used with just about any drone hardware. The drones can then be used to track endangered species, wild herds, invasive species, and even livestock. Ecologists, conservationists, and anyone who works with animals can get accurate data rapidly to plan strategies for caring for animals.

Some of the data collected by the drones may lead researchers to see that the animals they are studying may need medical attention. A team of developers from Kookmin University in Seoul, South Korea have designed a drone that can be used to administer medicine and collect biological samples from animals in the wild. Led by LuHeng, Bao Liyuan, Young Hwan Pan the drone they have made is called Wildlife, and it won the 2020 European Product Design Award (EPDA) for devices, gadgets, or products not made for humans.

For many large wildlife animals, like giraffes or lions found in the Savanna, drones are the safest way of approaching them. As drones have become smaller and quieter, they pose less of a distraction to animals. If a team notices that perhaps a lion is injured or ill, they can use the Wildlife drone to administer medications, sedatives, or even collect a blood sample all from a safe distance. There is no need to put human life at risk or to stress out an animal by coming into its territory.

Built into the small drone is a high definition camera that transmits real-time video to the pilot. The video can be used to observe one or more subjects and determine which animals need medical attention. Attached to the front of the drone is a syringe that can be filled with a wide range of medications. The drone is flown over the animal and the pilot then remotely ejects the syringe into the animal. If the animal needs hands on treatment, the syringe can be used to administer a sedative so that medics can safely treat the animal and collect samples for further evaluation. As the drone specs outline, “Use unmanned aerial vehicles for the treatment of wild animals, reduce the fear of animals, avoid human excessive intervention in nature, avoid the harm of the medical staff to the animals, and more accurate and timely treatment of sick animals.”

Both of these programs share the same name and guiding principle, the protection of wild animals. One is the name of a company that uses drones to track and monitor wildlife while the other is an actual drone that is used by wildlife medics. After winning the 2020 EPDA, the Wildlife Drone concept is ready to be introduced to the market. It is possible that Dr. Saunders at Wildlife Drones may one day utilize this drone in her research. What is clear is that advancements in drone technology will make the conservation of our planet’s wildlife more successful.

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