Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS)-Based Wildlife Detection: A Review and Case Studies in Maritime Antarctica
In wildlife biology, it is important to conduct efficient observations and quantitative monitoring of wild animals. Conventional wildlife monitoring mainly relies on direct field observations by the naked eyes or through binoculars, on-site image acquisition at fixed spots, and sampling or capturing...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-12-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/12/2387 |
| _version_ | 1797544786481119232 |
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| author | Chang-Uk Hyun Mijin Park Won Young Lee |
| author_facet | Chang-Uk Hyun Mijin Park Won Young Lee |
| author_sort | Chang-Uk Hyun |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In wildlife biology, it is important to conduct efficient observations and quantitative monitoring of wild animals. Conventional wildlife monitoring mainly relies on direct field observations by the naked eyes or through binoculars, on-site image acquisition at fixed spots, and sampling or capturing under severe areal constraints. Recently, remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS), also called drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), were successfully applied to detect wildlife with imaging sensors, such as RGB and thermal-imaging sensors, with superior detection capabilities to those of human observation. Here, we review studies with RPAS which has been increasingly used in wildlife detection and explain how an RPAS-based high-resolution RGB image can be applied to wild animal studies from the perspective of individual detection and population surveys as well as behavioral studies. The applicability of thermal-imaging sensors was also assessed with further information extractable from image analyses. In addition, RPAS-based case studies of acquisition of high-resolution RGB images for the purpose of detecting southern elephant seals (<i>Mirounga leonina</i>) and shape property extraction using thermal-imaging sensor in King George Island, maritime Antarctica is presented as applications in an extreme environment. The case studies suggest that currently available cost-effective small-sized RPAS, which are capable of flexible operation and mounting miniaturized imaging sensors, and are easily maneuverable even from an inflatable boat, can be an effective and supportive technique for both the visual interpretation and quantitative analysis of wild animals in low-accessible extreme or maritime environments. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T14:06:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-eae1607adb0345b2b2502215bc0008a4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T14:06:22Z |
| publishDate | 2020-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-eae1607adb0345b2b2502215bc0008a42023-11-21T00:43:23ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152020-12-011012238710.3390/ani10122387Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS)-Based Wildlife Detection: A Review and Case Studies in Maritime AntarcticaChang-Uk Hyun0Mijin Park1Won Young Lee2Center of Remote Sensing and GIS, Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon 21990, KoreaDivision of Life Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon 21990, KoreaDivision of Life Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon 21990, KoreaIn wildlife biology, it is important to conduct efficient observations and quantitative monitoring of wild animals. Conventional wildlife monitoring mainly relies on direct field observations by the naked eyes or through binoculars, on-site image acquisition at fixed spots, and sampling or capturing under severe areal constraints. Recently, remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS), also called drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), were successfully applied to detect wildlife with imaging sensors, such as RGB and thermal-imaging sensors, with superior detection capabilities to those of human observation. Here, we review studies with RPAS which has been increasingly used in wildlife detection and explain how an RPAS-based high-resolution RGB image can be applied to wild animal studies from the perspective of individual detection and population surveys as well as behavioral studies. The applicability of thermal-imaging sensors was also assessed with further information extractable from image analyses. In addition, RPAS-based case studies of acquisition of high-resolution RGB images for the purpose of detecting southern elephant seals (<i>Mirounga leonina</i>) and shape property extraction using thermal-imaging sensor in King George Island, maritime Antarctica is presented as applications in an extreme environment. The case studies suggest that currently available cost-effective small-sized RPAS, which are capable of flexible operation and mounting miniaturized imaging sensors, and are easily maneuverable even from an inflatable boat, can be an effective and supportive technique for both the visual interpretation and quantitative analysis of wild animals in low-accessible extreme or maritime environments.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/12/2387wildlife biologyremotely piloted aircraft systemUAVdronequantitative monitoringpolar region |
| spellingShingle | Chang-Uk Hyun Mijin Park Won Young Lee Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS)-Based Wildlife Detection: A Review and Case Studies in Maritime Antarctica Animals wildlife biology remotely piloted aircraft system UAV drone quantitative monitoring polar region |
| title | Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS)-Based Wildlife Detection: A Review and Case Studies in Maritime Antarctica |
| title_full | Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS)-Based Wildlife Detection: A Review and Case Studies in Maritime Antarctica |
| title_fullStr | Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS)-Based Wildlife Detection: A Review and Case Studies in Maritime Antarctica |
| title_full_unstemmed | Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS)-Based Wildlife Detection: A Review and Case Studies in Maritime Antarctica |
| title_short | Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS)-Based Wildlife Detection: A Review and Case Studies in Maritime Antarctica |
| title_sort | remotely piloted aircraft system rpas based wildlife detection a review and case studies in maritime antarctica |
| topic | wildlife biology remotely piloted aircraft system UAV drone quantitative monitoring polar region |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/12/2387 |
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