Drones and Environmental Monitoring

When you think of a drone, a few things probably come to mind. You might picture the pint-sized device on your tween’s Christmas list. You might also picture drones used to deliver Amazon packages. But what is the connection between drones and environmental monitoring? And how can unmanned aerial vehicles contribute to your company’s environmental compliance strategy? Scroll down to learn more about the powerful possibilities that drones have to offer in the environmental field.

Drones and Environmental Monitoring

Why Use Drones in Environmental Monitoring?

Picture this: Your company is an Environmental Works client, and you’ve been alerted to a spill. You send personnel to monitor the spill, but it’s difficult to gauge the severity of the spill or track its progress as it moves down a nearby river. The river’s banks are difficult to access on foot, leaving your team with limited knowledge of the spill’s progress.

With drone technology, Environmental Works can deploy drone pilots to the spill site once an hour, once a day, or once a week. Our pilots can then capture real-time images of the spill. This may help you create a time lapse as the spill travels down the river. This, in turn, helps you create a more robust remediation plan to ensure you protect the river area from further damage. Drones are an excellent resource in other use cases as well, including railroad monitoring and tank inspections, requiring fewer personnel hours and delivering high-quality photos for further inspection.

Drone Monitoring Around the World

Drones have been used in environmental monitoring capacities for several years. Take, for example, the Iberian Peninsula, where wildfires devastate thousands of acres every year. To reduce the severity of the damage, the Technical University of Madrid (UPM) has designed a system to automatically detect forest fires using drone surveillance. In Kenya, the Mara Elephant Project uses the noise of the drone motors to move elephant herds away from known poaching areas. These are only two examples of the ways that drones are being used to preserve ecosystems around the world. As our clients’ environmental needs continue to evolve, the Environmental Works team is thrilled to be on the forefront of drone monitoring in the United States.

EWI’s Drone Capabilities

Are you an EWI client curious about our company’s drone capabilities? Currently, EWI has three in-house pilots – two based in the Springfield office and one based in the Colorado office. Between these licensed professionals, we can offer drone services throughout our service area. Our first drone is a Phantom 4 Pro, which offers crystal-clear imagery. Our other drone is a Mavic 2 Enterprise with FLIR thermal imaging. This device offers unparalleled detail capture in even the most hard-to-reach areas. The EWI team can help you assess which of these drones is best for your project, whether you need emergency management or simple monitoring of a construction site or excavation area.

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So, what’s the connection between drones and environmental monitoring? The use of drones in environmental monitoring is a relatively new addition to the industry. But one thing is certain: The possibilities are truly endless. EWI’s certified drone pilots can assist your team with emergency response, tank inspections, and everyday field services. We offer drone services to clients throughout the central states, and have the expertise to walk you through the possibilities for your organization.

Are you curious about drone services? Give Environmental Works a call. We have in-house experts ready to help. We will walk you through the specifics of your organization’s planning and compliance needs and explore the ways drones might be able to serve your mission. When you’re ready, you can contact EWI online or call 877-827-9500 for more information.