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New technology for stress-free health checks
Australia's dolphins are under pressure from environmental changes and human activities. Researchers from Flinders University use thermal imaging cameras on drones to measure surface temperature and respiratory rate of the animals – without interventions or stress for the animals.

 

Accurate data from the air
Over 40,000 thermal images showed that flights at 10–15 meters in height enable accurate physiological measurements. Temperature and respiratory rate can thus be recorded as indicators of health and stress levels.

 

Validation in human care
Tests with 14 large bottlenose dolphins at Sea World Queensland confirmed the accuracy of the method. Drone-based infrared thermography could potentially enable safe, non-invasive health monitoring in both care facilities and the wild in the future.