So we’ve seen how drones can be used for photography, videography, even used to provide internet, and now it seems that drones have found a use in the study of animals. A pair of researchers have used drones in a bid to better learn about the behavior of bats while they’re in-flight that go beyond traditional ground-based monitoring tactics.
It seems that what bats get up to while they are in-flight is still something of a mystery to scientists, according to ecologist Kate Jones from the University College London. Jones claims that traditional ground monitoring tactics might not paint a full picture. “We’re monitoring on the ground and thinking that’s representative of the entire air column – but I don’t think that’s true.”
However with these drones that are built by Tom Moore who works alongside bat enthusiast Tom August, these drones can fly a pre-planned route and can pick up bat calls via an ultrasonic transmitter. Due to the fact that these drones can fly at higher altitudes, it is possible that the data captured could give a more detailed picture of how bats move around.
It could also be used for environmental surveys where the drones can help determine if placing wind turbines in certain areas might interfere with the environments of bats, as it has been found that wind turbines have been linked to the death of bats.