Research on the Arctic Bird Monitoring Deploying Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to apply the method of using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to monitor the Arctic birds. The utilization of small UAVs, also known as drones, has recently become a key way of performing ecological monitoring, because they are suitable for obtaining large scale images safely. Accordingly, in this research, we utilized a quadricopter (Phantom 4 advanced, DJI co.) equipped with a visible light (Red, Green and Blue; RGB) camera (Phantom 4 camera, 1-inch 20MP sensor) and an external thermal camera (FLIR Vue Pro R, 13mm lens) in order to observe arctic birds inhabiting difficult to observe areas. On 16th and 18th of July 2018, the RGB and thermal shots were taken in Sirius Passet (82°47.6’N 42°13.7’W) in Northeast Greenland National Park, and the targets were incubating common ringed plover (Charadrius hiaticula) and a flock of moulting pink-footed geese (Anser brachyrhynchus) located on the sea. In thermal images, common ringed plover showed high surface temperature, 8.4°C higher than the background temperature, and it enabled us to detect the camouflaged nest of common ringed plover. Similarly, cold sea water and the surface temperature of pink-footed geese were well contrasted, showing 5°C difference, therefore it was possible to grasp the exact number of birds. Also, on 4th of August 2018, the nests of black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla), black guillemot (Cepphus grylle) and Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica) were filmed at the cliffs (Steinflastupet; 78°57.5’N 11°36.4’E) near Ny-Alesund, Svalbard. It was possible to accurately observe these bird communities with small UAVs, even at the cliffs which were difficult to approach. Like this, monitoring method of deploying small UAV is serviceable in reducing human bias and repetitive operations, hence we expect more research on the arctic bird with UAVs in the future.