Study assesses impacts of drones on whale sharks

by Murdoch University
April 30, 2026

A new study led by Murdoch University has found drones flown above the ocean are unlikely to disturb whale sharks, the world’s largest fish.

In recent years, using drones for wildlife research has proven to be a valuable tool in collecting data for population surveys, observing behaviour and measuring animals’ physical dimensions.

“As drones become more common in wildlife research, there’s a growing need to make sure the drones themselves aren’t changing animals’ natural behaviour,” said lead researcher, Dr Samantha Reynolds from Murdoch University’s Harry Butler Institute.

“We know drones can affect some marine animals, like whales, dolphins and seabirds, but those responses vary a lot between species and situations, and have typically been measured only by observation,” she said.

Keep reading: https://www.murdoch.edu.au/news/articles/study-assesses-impacts-of-drones-on-whale-sharks

Read the Ecosphere paper: https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ecs2.70575