Drone Technology Tested for Monitoring Invasive Upside-Down Jellyfish Populations

Researchers from the Australian Museum Research Institute conducted a study comparing drone and kayak methods for monitoring upside-down jellyfish (Cassiopea sp.). These jellyfish are expanding southward along Australia's east coast, with sightings reported in New South Wales lakes since 2009. The research found that drones provided similar accuracy to kayaks for density measurements along transects but were three times faster for surveying entire sites. While drones offer advantages for large-scale monitoring, kayaks remain valuable for specimen collection and verification. The study addresses the need for efficient tracking of these invasive species, which can have significant ecological impacts.