Autonomous drones are a viable tool for acoustic bat surveys

Abstract

Acoustic surveys of bats are currently limited by the detection range of ultrasound microphones. This makes it difficult to survey bats at height, over water, or in other hard to reach locations. Drones, also known as UAVs or UASs, are becoming more affordable and feature rich, resulting in more uptake in conservation, primarily for aerial imagery. In this paper we address current limitations to acoustic bat surveys by developing three autonomous drones for surveying bats; a plane, quadcopter and boat. All three are capable of moving autonomously from one waypoint to another while carrying a bat detector to record bats and are all low cost (under US$950) with large operational ranges that make them suited to aerial transect work.

Initial testing highlighted ultrasound noise generated by the drones as a major issue for recording bats from these systems. This was mitigated through iterative design of the microphone placement and the vehicles themselves. Subsequent testing in real world settings, in the presence of bats, demonstrated that bats could be recorded under autonomous navigation and that the ultrasound interference could be reduced to a negligible level.

Autonomous drones offer an exciting new tool in the tool box of bat workers and researchers. They allow us to study areas previously inaccessible on foot, as well as at heights that have previously been inaccessible. We also discuss current limitations to this technology, including legal considerations, hidden costs and potential impacts on bat behaviour.