Researchers have demonstrated the effectiveness of client drone expertise for non-invasive pathogen surveillance in free-ranging whales throughout the North Atlantic, marking a big development in marine mammal well being monitoring. A research printed in BMC Veterinary Analysis documented the usage of a DJI Mavic 2 Professional outfitted with specialised sampling equipment to detect cetacean morbillivirus and herpesvirus from the “blowhole snot” of humpback whales, sperm whales, and fin whales.
Drone Expertise for Blow Samples
The drone was outfitted with two foam floaters, low-noise propellers, and 4 sterilized Petri dishes for blow pattern assortment, and operated at altitudes between 0.5 and three meters throughout sampling operations. The positioning technique assorted by species: for humpback whales, the drone was flown above and behind the blowhole, whereas for sperm whales—which possess a single blowhole on the left facet—the plane was positioned above and to the left. After profitable sampling, the Petri dishes had been dry-swabbed and positioned in tubes containing RNAlater for preservation at ambient temperature throughout fieldwork, then transferred to 4°C storage for as much as two weeks earlier than laboratory processing at −80°C.
Between 2016 and 2025, researchers collected 76 blow samples and 45 pores and skin biopsy samples throughout a number of areas together with northern Norway’s foraging grounds in Skjervøy and Andenes, Iceland’s waters, and Cape Verde. The research represents what researchers describe as “the primary report of blow sampling for pathogen surveillance in sperm and fin whales, and the primary research exploring the usage of remotely collected biopsy samples for viral screening.”
By AWeith – Personal work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=52210407
Outcomes Achieved
Outcomes revealed cetacean morbillivirus in blow samples from two asymptomatic teams of humpback whales in Norway, one sperm whale, and a stranded pilot whale. Alphaherpesvirus was detected in 5 humpback whale teams all through a number of areas, whereas a gammaherpesvirus appeared in a single pores and skin biopsy pattern. No samples examined optimistic for avian influenza virus or Brucella spp.
The analysis demonstrates that “minimally invasive sampling, significantly blow sampling, can be utilized for pathogen surveillance in free-ranging cetaceans.” The findings present insights into viral circulation patterns in North Atlantic cetacean populations whereas establishing drone-based sampling as a viable complement to conventional monitoring strategies, requiring solely commonplace client drone gear and sterilized assortment vessels.
The total research is accessible right here.
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Ian McNabb is a journalist specializing in drone expertise and life-style content material at Dronelife. He’s based mostly between Boston and NH and, when not writing, enjoys mountaineering and Boston space sports activities.
