September 30, 2016 — ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Scientists are using drone technology to track declining Steller sea lion populations in Alaska.
Every summer researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Fisheries Science Center study the animals along the Aleutian Island chain.
They use a variety of methods to count the sea lions including stationary game cameras and manned aircraft that fly over a region where scientists can take pictures.
Since 2014, they’ve been using a hexacopter, or drone, to survey areas as well.
Fish biologist Katie Sweeney said the drones won’t replace the manned aircraft but are useful in Alaska’s inclement weather.
“They tried to survey around the Delarof Islands and there wasn’t good weather. It was foggy, low ceilings, which is a challenge,” Sweeney explained in a Skype interview from Seattle. “That means those sites that were missed we can go to next year when we’re on our research vessel cruise and survey them with a hexacopter so we can fill in those gaps.”