In the last three decades, the world as a whole has seen and experienced the damage caused by pollution and mismanagement of natural resources; from catastrophic events, like raging wildfires and violent flash floods, to decreased wildlife populations due to changing temperature and pollution.
Scientists of all fields are searching for ways to combat climate change, fight deforestation, and protect our oceans. As resources become more expensive by the day, experts are turning to modern solutions in the race against time to beat the destruction climate change brings. The most versatile and cost-effective alternative? Drone technology.
Fighting Climate Change & Supporting Conservation
Drones are used to battle climate change on several fronts—from disrupting traditional methods of seed planting to helping firefighters identify wildfire hotspots. What makes drones great allies to conservation is the versatility in payload options. Standard drone capabilities can be augmented with manufacturer or third-party payloads, and are all customizable to fit the needs of various conservation efforts.
DJI has stepped up to help organizations, like Ocean Alliance, track marine wildlife to revolutionize conservation efforts. Whales are essential to the marine ecosystem; they are the ocean’s fertilizers, offering a steady supply of nutrients that feed phytoplankton, the world’s no.1 oxygen producer. DJI helped researchers develop a solution to collect non-invasive biological samples from whales. Members of Ocean Alliance fly the DJI Inspire, equipped with Petri dishes, through the blow of the animal to collect vital information on the animal’s hormones and DNA. Additionally, drones can help track and identify poaching and illegal fishing in protected waters, alerting authorities quickly.
Aiding in Reforestation Efforts & Minimizing Chemical Runoff
On land, agro startups and forest conservation groups are fighting deforestation by equipping drones with seed pods. Traditionally, seed and tree planting is done by groups of people—whether paid or volunteered. This method is costly and inefficient as the rate of lumber harvesting and fast-spreading wildfires greatly outnumber planting efforts. On average, drones can disperse 10,000 seeds per 128 acres, according to Percy Guichon, director of Central Chilcotin Rehabilitation—a reforestation and land-management company in British Columbia.
Additionally, agricultural drones are optimizing smart farming—by helping farmers track soil moisture, pests, plant health, and other key variables, farmers can use spray drones, like the DJI Agras T16, equipped with thermal and photometric payloads to release the exact amount of fertilizer and pesticides needed to maintain crops. By implementing precision farming, farmers can support sustainable practices by avoiding over-saturation of the soil with chemicals that runoff into main water supplies, like rivers and oceans.
While drones are optimizing workflows for enterprises, researchers continue to develop upgraded drone technology to help tackle air pollution and other contaminants. Gas detection sensors, like those manufactured by Teledyne FLIR, offer an optical solution to identify volatile organic compounds in the air. These sensors can identify and monitor harmful emissions like methane, which lead to depletion of the ozone layer.
Drones are proving to be a vital solution to help save the planet. With more organizations, governments, and scientists leveraging drones in their processes, we can achieve a more sustainable future, at a fraction of the cost.
Drone Nerds helps organizations meet sustainability goals and efforts through expert consultation and drone fleet management. Learn more by speaking to our experts.
