An ACM Celebration

Autonomous drones, or UAVs, are becoming valuable tools for studying wildlife and ecosystems because they can quickly and consistently collect data from remote areas. These drones can gather large amounts of information to help scientists better understand individual animals, groups of wildlife, and entire ecosystems. However, using drones for conservation and biodiversity research has challenges, including the need for guidance on optimizing autonomous missions to collect the most useful data.

Edge computing plays a key role in this process. Unlike traditional methods where data is sent to distant servers for analysis, edge computing processes data directly on the drone itself. This allows for faster decision-making, reducing the need for constant communication with external systems, which is particularly useful in remote areas.

In this talk, I will discuss techniques for autonomous drone navigation, how edge computing enhances drone efficiency, and share results from fieldwork in Ohio and Kenya, where these technologies were tested to gather ecological data.