Name: A drone's-eye view of conservation
Uploaded: 2013-11-18T16:00:00Z
Duration: 13 min 17 s
Description: Ecologist Lian Pin Koh makes a persuasive case for using drones to protect the world's forests and wildlife. These lightweight autonomous flying vehicles can track animals in their natural habitat, monitor the health of rainforests, even combat crime by detecting poachers via thermal imaging. Added bonus? They're also entirely affordable.

Ecologist Lian Pin Koh makes a persuasive case for using drones to protect the world's forests and wildlife. These lightweight autonomous flying vehicles can track animals in their natural habitat, monitor the health of rainforests, even combat crime by detecting poachers via thermal imaging. Added bonus? They're also entirely affordable.

A drone's-eye view of conservation

Conservation drones are changing how scientists and rangers protect endangered species and forests. In Nepal and Indonesia, these lightweight, low-cost aircraft capture high-resolution images of rhinos, orangutans, and illegal logging from above. A single drone, costing little more than a laptop, can map vast rainforests and even help spot poachers at night using thermal cameras. These tools offer crucial new ways to monitor biodiversity and combat wildlife crime.