AEROMAB: Small UAS for Montagu´s Harrier´s Circus pygargus nests monitoring.

Abstract

This presentation explains the rationale, objectives and results of Montagu´s Harrier’s nests surveillance experiments conducted in the Aeromab Project using small UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) in Seville countryside (Southwest of Spain). It presents the situation of the species, whose nests are threatened by harvesters and the observational techniques that are being used nowadays to monitor the animals. We describe how a small UAS was used to get aerial photographs that were georeferenced to locate the nests. We demonstrated that it is possible to use SUAS to complement the nests monitoring, saving a lot of personnel effort and costs and potentially with less impact on the animals than conventional manned aircrafts. This also would avoid the necessity of access by foot to the nests and that minimizes the associated potential risk of predation.