Integrating UAV Technology in an Ecological Monitoring System for Community Wildlife Management Areas in Tanzania
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Date
2019-11-03
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
MDPI
Abstract
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) have recently emerged as a new remote sensing
aerial platform, and they are seemingly advancing real-time data generation. Nonetheless,
considerable uncertainties remain in the extent to which wildlife managers can integrate UAVs
into ecological monitoring systems for wildlife and their habitats. In this review, we discuss the recent
progress and gaps in UAV use in wildlife conservation and management. The review notes that
there is scanty information on UAV use in ecological monitoring of medium-to-large mammals found
in groups in heterogeneous habitats. We also explore the need and extent to which the technology
can be integrated into ecological monitoring systems for mammals in heterogeneous habitats and in
topographically-challenging community wildlife-management areas, as a complementary platform
to the traditional techniques. Based on its ability to provide high-resolution images in real-time,
further experiments on its wider use in the ecological monitoring of wildlife on a spatiotemporal
scale are important. The experimentation outputs will make the UAV a very reliable remote sensing
platform that addresses the challenges facing conventional techniques.
Sustainable Development Goals
This research article published by MDPI, 2019
Keywords
Conventional ecological monitoring techniques, Remote sensing, Medium-to-large mammals, UAV-based habitat assessment