From data to disturbance: Fostering responsible and considerate conservation drone use

By Anna Jackman (University of Reading) and Naomi Millner (University of Bristol)

The use of drones and geospatial technologies has proliferated in global conservation efforts in recent years. From wildlife monitoring and vegetation mapping to the detection of poachers and the (counter-)mapping of territories and land, drones have been praised as comparatively accessible and affordable tools for capturing conservation data and pursuing environmental and social justice. However, drones can also be understood as ‘observational technologies’ which can be detrimental to local communities in complex ways, and can disrupt non-human wildlife too. There is therefore an increasing need for spaces of conversation around the ethical and political implications of drone use and what constitutes ‘best practice’ in terms of responsible and considerate conservation drone use more widely.

The ‘Drone Ecologies’ workshop, led by Dr Naomi Millner in July 2021 (available to stream here), provided a space for such interdisciplinary dialogue. 60 participants made up of academics from the social and natural sciences, practitioners from the arts, industry, and non-governmental organisations came together to discuss four cross-cutting themes:

Technicalities: what can conservation drones do?
Rights and communities: how can drones be used to support the rights of communities?
Drones and green securitisation: where/when does monitoring become surveillance?
Ethics and protocols: what might best practice for conservation drones look like?

The workshop made clear that adopting an interdisciplinary approach to conservation drones is essential. Whilst drones are tools that can enable or empower a wide range of actors from Indigenous communities to scientists and conservationists engaged in wildlife or habitat monitoring, they can also be very disruptive to both humans and wildlife. From questions of surveillance, data ownership and security, to noise disruption and other forms of disturbance (e.g. emotional), drone use demands careful and critical reflection spanning technical, environmental, social and political concerns, particularly in sensitive locations and contexts. Following the 2021 workshop, a group of nine interdisciplinary researchers continued to gather to share their work and collaboratively develop guidelines on responsible drone use in biodiversity conservation.

These guidelines have been designed for a conservation practitioner audience, and were published in 2023 in English, Spanish, and French. They outline principles of best practice for the use of drones as part of biodiversity conservation, including considerations for both human communities and wildlife, as well as providing a series of recommendations to consider before, during, and after drone flight:

Considerations for human communities: While drones enable us to learn about our environments in novel ways, they also prompt questions around data collection and surveillance, consent and cultural sensitivity. Drones can also evoke different responses from those below – from excitement to anxiety and fear. Even when it is not the operator’s intention, the use of drones can provoke diverse concerns related to privacy, security, and noise. Central to responsible drone operations is meaningful engagement with local communities present, residing in, or with interests in the flight area.
Considerations for wildlife: While drones are often used to collect data that informs the effective conservation of biodiversity, their use can also disturb wildlife, including both animal species being monitored and non-target species. Drones can prompt a range of anti-predatory responses in wildlife (including curiosity, vigilance, alert, alarm, fleeing responses and aggressive behaviour), as well as non-visible responses (such as an increased heart rate). While varying by animal characteristics (such as species), operators can consider and adapt drone attributes and flight timings and patterns to minimise potential disruption and exhibit care to non-humans with whom we share the (air)space.

To read more about the recommendations made for using drones in biodiversity conservation, follow this link to access the full guidelines: Responsible drone use in biodiversity conservation: Guidelines for environmental and conservation organisations who use drones – CIFOR Knowledge (cifor-icraf.org).

An online event is taking place on 11^th July 2023 to launch the guidelines and continue conversations around conservation drone use more widely. This event will bring together researchers and practitioners from across the social and natural sciences and from around the world to further explore the ethical and political dimensions of drone use and strategies to mitigate potential harms to humans and wildlife alike. The event is open to policymakers, environmental and conservation organisations, researchers, and anyone with an interest in the ethical and political considerations of drone use. You can find further details about, and sign up for, the online launch event here, via Eventbrite.

You can also read more in papers coming from a special issue accompanying the ‘Drone Ecologies’ project, published in Global Social Challenges and linked below.

About the authors: Dr Anna Jackman is a Lecturer in Human Geography at the University of Reading; Dr Naomi Millner is a Senior Lecturer in Human Geography at the University of Bristol.

The cover image for this post has been provided by Anna Jackman and Naomi Millner.

Special Issue papers

Millner, N., Cunliffe, A. M., Mulero-Pázmány, M., Newport, B., Sandbrook, C., and Wich, S. (2023). Exploring the opportunities and risks of aerial monitoring for biodiversity conservation. Global Social Challenges Journal, https://doi.org/10.1332/TIOK6806

Sauls, L. A., Paneque-Gálvez, J., Amador-Jiménez, M., Vargas-Ramírez, N., and Laumonier, Y. (2023). Drones, communities and nature: pitfalls and possibilities for conservation and territorial rights. Global Social Challenges Journal, https://doi.org/10.1332/AJHA9183

Jackman, A., Millner, N., Cunliffe, A. M., Laumonier, Y., Lunstrum, E., Paneque-Gálvez, J., and Wich, S. A. (2023). Protecting people and wildlife from the potential harms of drone use in biodiversity conservation: interdisciplinary dialogues. Global Social Challenges Journal, https://doi.org/10.1332/IMLH5791

How to Cite

Jackman, A. and Millner, N. (2023, 29 June) From data to disturbance: Fostering responsible and considerate conservation drone use Geography Directions https://doi.org/10.55203/SEKD8427