SeaBee Successfully Tests New DeltaQuad Fixed-Wing Drone, Adding Capacity to the Research Infrastructure
SeaBee Successfully Tests New DeltaQuad Fixed-Wing Drone, Adding Capacity to the Research Infrastructure
This autumn, the SeaBee team was out on the island of Runde for fieldwork with the aim of improving drone-based mapping and monitoring of coastal habitats and sea bird populations. This included the exciting new addition of a DeltaQuad fixed-wing drone, enabling SeaBee to strengthen and further develop current and novel approaches to the mapping and monitoring of the coastal zone and the creatures which inhabit it.
This drone will increase SeaBee’s capacity and range for coastal mapping and environmental monitoring, provide high resolution images using state-of-the art RGB and multispectral cameras, and enable large scale thermal (infrared camera) surveys that can improve detection and counting of sea birds and mammals.
Sadly, the population of seabirds is declining around Norway, with places like the island of Runde seeing drastic changes in nesting pairs returning to the island during a relatively short period of time. To get a better picture of the population declines and coming up with solutions to help seabirds, more data and information about them is needed. The new DeltaQuad drone and its infrared camera will be an important contribution to better and more robust monitoring of the seabird population.
Watch one of the take-offs here:
The DeltaQuad VTOL drone (Vertical Take Off and Landing drone) is an unmanned fixed-wing vehicle with four propellers that allow it to take off and land in a confined space, such as a small island, a rocky shore or in steep terrain. What sets the DeltaQuad apart from other fixed-wing drones is its ability to combine the pros of a fixed-wing drone (eg. covering larger distances, resilient in suboptimal weather conditions) and those of a rotor drone (smaller space needed to deploy and land safely, greater control).
We’re excited by the possibilities that the DeltaQuad provides the SeaBee infrastructure with, and encourage research projects across the region to get in touch with us for possible collaboration. Find out more about SeaBee’s tech here.
Visit this link for more information about DeltaQuad: https://www.deltaquad.com/
