Preliminary study on nesting Adélie penguins disturbance by unmanned aerial vehicles

Abstract

The importance of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in remote sensing is rapidly growing. However, knowledge about their potential impact on wildlife is scant, especially in Antarctica, where they are a new tool used in ecological research and monitoring.In this preliminary study potential effects of wildlife disturbance by fixed-wing UAVs are investigated. In austral summer 2014/15, UAV overflights were conducted in the Adelie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) breeding colony at Point. Thomas (Western Shore of Admiralty Bay, King George Island, Antarctica, Subarea 48.1). The impacts of electric and piston engine UAVs flying at 350 m altitude above ground level (AGL) over the colony were compared to the undisturbed colony (control group), and to natural disturbance (skua – Stercorarius sp. flying over nesting penguins).