Doctor Drone: Non-invasive Measurement of Humpback Whale Vital Signs Using Unoccupied Aerial System Infrared Thermography

Abstract

Frontiers in Marine Science | www.frontiersin.org July 2019 | Volume 6 | Article 466 Horton et al. Humpback Whale Vital SignsUAS-IRT applications to cover a wider range of environmental and behavioral contexts. Considering the small sample size of the dataset we report, application of UAS-IRT to live-stranded and captive cetaceans, where environmental and cetacean conditions can be independently measured, is of paramount importance.

Operational Protocols for the Use of Drones in Marine Animal Research

“…Studies focused on estimating abundance or density of baleen whales in a particular geographic region (hereafter referred to as population sampling) and, 2. Studies examining individual animal behaviour [150], morphology [151], pigmentation patterns, and a range of health and welfare metrics such as scarring and entanglement rates [152], respiratory microbiomes [13,153], body size and condition [126], and even internal body temperature [154] (hereafter referred to as individual sampling). Distinct operational protocols for these two general application types are required, as different aircraft, sensors, control systems and flight plans are needed to safely and efficiently collect robust data.…”

“…While drone-based surveys for many mammalian species on land are often conducted using thermal infrared sensors (e.g., Seymour, et al [160]), this technique is not recommended for the sole sensor for drone-based baleen whale surveys. While some portion of a baleen whale's body may be detectable above the surface with thermal infrared (IR) sensors (as are their blows; [154]), animals that are submerged are generally lost from view in thermal IR imagery, yet remain available in the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum and still detectable via an EO RGB sensor. Combinations of EO RGB and thermal IR may be helpful under some circumstances.…”

Respiration cycle duration and seawater flux through open blowholes of humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae)and North Atlantic right (Eubalaena glacialis)whales

“…Thermal infrared (IR) imagery could also be of use in future studies on the respiratory system of baleen whales (Churnside, Ostrovsky, & Veenstra, 2009; Horton et al, 2019; Hunt et al, 2013; Zitterbart, Kindermann, Burkhardt, & Boebel, 2013) and may be able to help discern the presence of seawater in the blow. Baleen whales are detected on ship based thermography with the clear signals coming from respiratory vapor, or blow (Boebel & Zitterbart, 2013; Burkhardt, Boebel, & Zitterbart, 2014; Horton et al, 2019; Zitterbart et al, 2013). The blow is easily detectable on thermal IR imagery from cameras looking out from the surface at a shallow angle (i.e., boat or ship based cameras) due to the lower background emissivity (Churnside et al, 2009; Horton et al, 2019).…”

“…Baleen whales are detected on ship based thermography with the clear signals coming from respiratory vapor, or blow (Boebel & Zitterbart, 2013; Burkhardt, Boebel, & Zitterbart, 2014; Horton et al, 2019; Zitterbart et al, 2013). The blow is easily detectable on thermal IR imagery from cameras looking out from the surface at a shallow angle (i.e., boat or ship based cameras) due to the lower background emissivity (Churnside et al, 2009; Horton et al, 2019). An IR camera from a vessel perspective at close range could detect whether the seawater present in a respiratory event was from inside the respiratory tract or from the surface because presumably that water from inside the respiratory tract would be warmed and show a higher temperature than water that originated from the surface (Boebel & Zitterbart, 2013; Horton et al, 2017, 2019; Zitterbart et al, 2013).…”

“…The blow is easily detectable on thermal IR imagery from cameras looking out from the surface at a shallow angle (i.e., boat or ship based cameras) due to the lower background emissivity (Churnside et al, 2009; Horton et al, 2019). An IR camera from a vessel perspective at close range could detect whether the seawater present in a respiratory event was from inside the respiratory tract or from the surface because presumably that water from inside the respiratory tract would be warmed and show a higher temperature than water that originated from the surface (Boebel & Zitterbart, 2013; Horton et al, 2017, 2019; Zitterbart et al, 2013). However, for the blow to have higher apparent temperature, this could also be from organic fluid or from particles from within the blow.…”