Sampler drones making life easier for identifying invasive species safely

DRONES are becoming a part of everyday life and Ag is no different. Some are intrusive, or in your space with malicious intent, but overall, they are used for good, bringing efficiencies to what we do on the land.

​The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s Innovation Pilots team has successfully used drones to collect environmental DNA (eDNA) samples from a waterway in Canberra.

​Last month, the department, along with project partners, analysed the sample collected to confirm the presence of feral deer in the Ginninderry area.

The department’s director of research and innovation Jessica May said the project paves the way for a faster, safer, more cost-effective, and targeted method of DNA sampling.

​”It took the team just 15 minutes to sample the water needed using the drone.

“Previously, sampling by foot took over one hour due to tough surrounding terrain.

​”This time-saving method will help us focus our resources and save on operational expenses when taking samples across a large geographic area.

​”Compared to water’s edge sampling, extracting from the middle of a water body delivers a better opportunity for a less contaminated sample.”

​When using the technology, drone operators remain safe in an open clearing throughout the sample collection.

Samplers do not need to trudge through slippery bogs or venture down into steep ravines, reducing the risk they sustain physical injury or encounter dangerous wildlife during sampling.

​”Now we have seen its potential, drone sampling may be used to detect the presence of native and invasive species that shed DNA into the environment, like avian influenza in water birds,” Ms May said.

​Innovation Pilot projects enable government and industry to implement new technological solutions in the field together.

​The projects aim to deliver outcomes for the National Biosecurity Strategy to build a future-focused department and biosecurity system that can prevent, predict, identify, and respond to biosecurity threats more effectively and efficiently.