Drone Research

Drones are used by the EBRWS team as a tool for collecting photography of the whales for photo identification including unique callosity patterns, blazes, marks and scars, sex, body condition, location, core habitat use areas, fine scale movements and behaviour.

The quality of the overhead imagery is groundbreaking for the research. All drone data is collected under research permit number – Y26866-6.

EBRWS Drone Team

Permit Info

Project Title –
Encounter Bay Southern Right Whale
Research Project
Permit Number –
Y26866-6 

Buttons and Bobby
11th June - 26th Sept 2022

Buttons received her name due to the 3 distinct round callosities on her rostrum. Buttons calf 'Bobby' was named after Bob Prestwood, principal drone pilot for the EBRWS research team who sadly passed away in May 2022.

UAV (drone) footage for 2022 was filmed in the Encounter Bay Nursery under research drone permit No Y26866 © Debra Prestwood for EBRWS … All rights reserved.

Christie and calf
1st July, 2021

'Christie' and her young female calf appeared at Christies Beach, South Australia - 29th June, 2021. The pair were last sighted in the waters around Second Valley/Rapid Bay area 10th July 2021.

Drone footage was filmed in the Encounter Bay whale nursery South Australia under research permit no Y26866-3 ... copyright Bob Prestwood EBRWS.