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The scientists
first deployed the 32-inch "hexacopter" drone in July to help
assess the health of whales living in the Stellwagen Bank
National Marine Sanctuary, about 45 miles (72 km) east of
Boston, where there is significant ship traffic and pollution,
Woods Hole said in a release on Monday.
"Rigged with a specialized camera system, the unmanned airborne
vehicle flew 125 to 150 feet above sea level to get full-body
photographs of 36 animals. It swooped down to 10 feet above seal
level to collect 20 breath samples from 16 whales," according to
the release.
The breath samples provided scientists with DNA and hormone and
bacteria measurements, Woods Hole said.
Researchers plan to use the drone next winter to collect samples
from the same whale species living near the Antarctic Peninsula,
which is relatively pristine, it said.
"This will give us a new understanding of the relationship
between whale body condition and health in the context of
habitat quality," said Michael Moore, director of the
institute's Marine Mammal Center.
Humpback whales are among the world's largest at up to 60 feet
long (18.29 m), and migrate thousands of miles between their
summer and winter feeding grounds. They were listed as an
endangered species in 1970 after decades of fishing caused their
populations to plummet.
(Reporting by Richard Valdmanis; Editing by Doina Chiacu)
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