Drones, Gulls and Urbanity: Interaction between New Technologies and Human Subsidized Species in Coastal Areas

Martín G Frixione,Christian Salvadeo

doi:10.3390/drones5020030

Abstract

The use of drones has expanded the boundaries of several activities, which is expected to be utilized intensively in the near future. Interactions between urbanity and naturalness have been increasing while urban expansion amplifies the proximity between urban and natural areas. In this scenario, the interactions between drones and fauna could be augmented. Therefore, the aim of this study was to depict and evaluate the responses of the opportunistic and territorial seagull Larus livens to a small-sized drone during the non-breeding stage in urban areas and natural surroundings. The results evidenced that gulls do not react to drone sounds, coloration, or distance between them and the drone take-off spot. Clearly, the take-off vertical movement triggers an agonistic behavior that is more frequent in groups conformed by two adults, evidencing some kind of territorial response against the device, expressed as characteristic mobbing behavior. Thus, adult settled gulls in touristic and non-urbanized areas displayed agonistic behavior more frequently against the drone. Despite the coastal urban area being a free interaction environment, it evidences a low risk between drone management and territorial seabirds.

Highlights

The use of drones has been expanding the frontiers of scientific knowledge and other several activities, facilitating and improving procedures throughout numerous fields [1,2], among which are agriculture [3,4], ecological studies [5,6], nature photography [7], fisheries [8], disaster management and civil security applications [9], commercial delivery [10], and medical care activities [11]
The interactions triggered by unmanned aircraft vehicles (UAVs) on wildlife could be augmented throughout the enlarged edges while natural patches become included in the expanded urban matrix
The best generalized linear model (GLM) model selected by AICc (Table 1) evidenced the distance from urban areas (Z = 2.7; p = 0.006) and interaction between total group size and number of adults as the most important variables that better explained the reaction against the drone (Z = −1.8; p = 0.06; D2 = 58.2%)

Summary

Introduction

The use of drones has been expanding the frontiers of scientific knowledge and other several activities, facilitating and improving procedures throughout numerous fields [1,2], among which are agriculture [3,4], ecological studies [5,6], nature photography [7], fisheries [8], disaster management and civil security applications [9], commercial delivery [10], and medical care activities [11]. The prompt global urban expansion is amplifying the proximity between urban and natural protected areas, increasing the edges and interactions between urbanity and naturalness [14]. In this scenario, the interactions triggered by unmanned aircraft vehicles (UAVs) on wildlife could be augmented throughout the enlarged edges while natural patches become included in the expanded urban matrix. Interactions may become more complex in coastal cities where several kinds of habitats and species (terrestrial and marine) occur and drones are expected to be used intensively for recreational, research, commercial, and health care purposes in the near future [15]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion