Developing Dolphin Drones
Episode description
Dr. Jason Bruck and his collaborator, Dr. Jamey D. Jacob, School of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering at Oklahoma Sate University describe their efforts to develop a suitable drone platform to study small cetaceans in the wild. Known as PHASM, Passive Health Assessment in Sea Mammals, the team has already worked through several iterations of the emerging technology to best collect and assess respiratory samples from bottlenose dolphins. Rather than rotary technology, the team settled on a fixed wing drone design to prevent dolphin blow samples from being dispersed by the downward rotary action of most drones. The latest stage of the project involved working with Dolphin Quest staff, animals and student researchers and pilots to beta test the drone and sample collection.