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OBJECTIVES

1. Determine the ability of UAS technology to detect a variety of vertebrate pest species
2. Validate the UAS technique by comparing it with conventional methods in terms of detection rates, density estimates and costs

SCOPE

A trial to validate the UAS survey technique for species of interest will be conducted. This trial can be completed in conjunction with existing monitoring programs for efficiency. Conventional aerial (helicopter) surveys have been undertaken each year since 1991 by the Qld Department of Environment and Heritage Protection (DEHP) to monitor populations of the commercially-harvested macropod species, specifically eastern grey kangaroos, red kangaroos and common wallaroos.  Feral pigs and other large wildlife are also recorded on these surveys.  Undertaking work in conjunction with these surveys offers an ideal opportunity to compare density estimates (or encounter rates) derived from the UAS technique with the outputs from conventional survey techniques.   Survey parameters such as height, speed and swathe width need to be determined as well as data (e.g. counts of animals, distance to animals, species identity, strip width) for density estimation. These methods do not need to be identical to helicopter surveys but should be optimised for the UAS. However, data need to be collected to allow meaningful comparisons between the methods. 

UAS surveys are to be completed within a short period of time (<2 weeks) from helicopter surveys to minimise changes in monitored populations.
 
Sites for field testing will need to work in with DEHP timetable and sites. Mid-year timing (10 June) is required to coordinate with macropod surveys.  Westmar survey block is a likely suitable site for field testing, but other sites may be more suitable.  At Westmar, survey lines (four in total) are ~90km long at 10km intervals, totalling ~360km of transect. The same survey lines would be flown by the UAS (75 km per line) to allow comparisons with the helicopter surveys.