ORCA IRELAND's "birds-eye view" aerial monitoring with the use of novel monitoring tools i.e. UAV's or drones, which have become more accessible to researchers has advanced  our studies of marine mammals as drones are a safe, relatively inexpensive alternative to traditional boat-based photo-I.D. or aerial survey methods i.e. using manned aircrafts. 

However, there is a growing concern about the impacts of disturbance to marine mammals with the increasing accessibility of consumer grade drones. If you use drone to fly at sea, be sure to check out ORCA IRELAND's SeaSafe Best Practices Training Course to learn "Best Practice" should you encounter a marine mammal species with your drone.

ORCA IRELAND's marine mammal research has greatly advanced from the application of UAVs, providing more accurate information on species presence, abundance, morphometrics i.e. photogrammetry and behaviour. 

ORCA IRELAND has partnered with OCEAN ALLIANCE and SOUND SCIENCE on the "FLUKES FOLLOW PROJECT" to conduct specialised drone research on  whales that use Irish waters as a foraging habitat on their migratory journeys. ORCA Ireland also uses drones to help to monitor the health status of elusive species which otherwise would require invasive techniques like biopsy dart samples. ORCA Ireland's drone research is carried out under special permit from the National Parks & Wildlife Services (NPWS).

Members of the public who have captured drone footage of humpback whales or fin whales can assist the project by sending the footage to observersapp@gmail.com and logging their encounter through the Observers App.

ORCA IRELAND's innovative bioacoustics research uses machine learning for real-time cetacean acoustic monitoring in partnership with world renowned NGO Rainforest Connection (RFCx) and HUAWEI Ireland.