Western Australian Government to trial shark-spotting surveillance drones

A shark-spotting surveillance drone will back up beach patrols in Western Australia's South West in a three-month trial set to start next month.

Western Australian Fisheries Minister Joe Francis said the $88,000 trial, part of the Western Australia Government's shark mitigation strategy, would allow Surf Life Saving WA to purchase and operate several drones along the Perth metropolitan coast and South West.

The drone will be equipped with high definition cameras which will stream live vision back to surf lifesaving staff.

Minister Francis told the AMC "drone technology has advanced significantly in recent years and it makes sense to test if it can be used effectively to make our beaches safer.

"It's important any responsible government adopt evolving technologies to help keep people safe.

"It will be flown in different areas over different events over the next three months and we will assess the successfulness of that."

Minister Francis said the drones would send images in real time which would be monitored and then beaches would be alerted if sharks were present.

The drones would not be flown all day every day, they will be used by lifesaver patrols as necessary at various beaches in Perth and the South West.

SLSWA Lifesaving Services Contract Manager Peter Scott said drone surveillance could become an everyday part of lifesaving operations if the trial is successful.

Sctoo explained “drone technology has the potential to become an integral and critical piece of lifesaving equipment for surf lifesaving operations, the same way our lifesavers rely on jet-skis, Inflatable Rescue Boats, All-Terrain Vehicles and Defibrillators.

“The trial will allow us to determine if drone surveillance can be successfully implemented into our operations in an effective, sustainable and cost efficient manner.

Under the trial, a small, less than 2 kilogram, drone equipped with a high definition camera will stream live pictures back to SLSWA operators, which will allow operators to make real-time decisions based on the footage.

Each drone patrol will require two lifesavers to operate the service; one will be trained as a drone operator, while the other will act as an observer with a visual display.

The drone will be used at surf carnivals and other community events at local beaches from November to January 2017.

Minister Francis said future funding for the program would depend on the result of the trial.

Shark-spotting drones have also been trialled in NSW.

Images: Drone over water (top) and a shark off a Western Australian beach (below)

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