How Can Drones Help Mitigate Environmental Damage After an Oil Spill?

By Peru Flying Labs

When an oil spill occurs, action must be swift and effective to mitigate its impact on marine ecosystems. From coral reefs to coastal wetlands, we cannot do without our oceans and all the life teeming within them. Marine ecosystems produce oxygen, regulate climate, and support biodiversity. What’s more, they support the livelihoods of millions of people who depend on fishing and tourism industries, and they also serve as a source of inspiration, recreation, and cultural significance. This is particularly important in Peru, which is one of the world’s champion producers of fish. Additionally, without marine ecosystems acting as buffers against natural disasters like storms and tsunamis, the communities that live on our coasts would be especially vulnerable. 

Emerging technologies play a vital role in preserving these ecosystems today. Very often, drones are the right tool to conduct environmental surveys. The use of satellite images and conventional photogrammetry with aircraft is sometimes not feasible for this task due to an area's microclimate, for example if constant cloud cover hinders the collection of optical data at high altitudes. By utilizing drones equipped with advanced sensors, not only can we rapidly assess the damage caused by incidents such as oil spills but we can also actively contribute to achieving SDG 14, which focuses on the conservation and sustainable use of oceans, seas, and marine resources. So how do we go about such a task? Here’s a guide on how drone technology is leveraged to protect life below water.

1. Assess the situation: Begin by assessing the scale and scope of the oil spill. Identify the affected areas, including beaches, islands off the coastline, and marine habitats. Consider environmental factors such as weather conditions and terrain that may impact drone operations.
2. Select the right equipment: Choose drones equipped with optical and multispectral sensors capable of capturing high-resolution images and detecting oil residues. Ensure that the drones are equipped to capture georeferenced videos and photogrammetric data in real-time to help you gain a clear understanding of the situation. 
3. Plan your flight operations: Divide the affected area into manageable zones based on accessibility and severity of contamination. Plan flight paths that cover each zone comprehensively, taking into account factors like altitude, drone speed, and drone battery life.
4. Collect the data: Deploy the drones to systematically survey each zone, capturing optical and multispectral imagery. Collect georeferenced videos and photogrammetric data to create orthomosaics, which will provide detailed maps of the affected area.
5. Process the data: Utilize software such as Pix4D to process the collected data and generate orthomosaics in both natural color and multispectral formats. This processing stage will reveal the extent and distribution of oil residues across different surfaces.
6. Conduct a field visit: This will help you to verify and further analyze the findings from the drone survey. Identify oil settlement patterns on various surfaces, including rocks, sand, and vegetation. This on-the-ground assessment provides valuable context for interpreting the drone data.
7. Analyze the multispectral images: Once the settlement patterns of crude oil on the coastline and its different materials are identified, use satellite image processing software and spectral profile tools to analyze the multispectral images and accurately locate crude oil deposits based on their spectral signatures.
8. Integrate the data: Integrate the collected data into a geographic information system (GIS) to create dynamic and interactive dashboards that can be accessed on various web browsers and/or mobile devices. These dashboards provide real-time access to information for stakeholders at all decision-making levels.
9. Implement mitigation strategies: Use the insights gained from the drone survey and data analysis to guide environmental mitigation efforts. Allocate resources effectively to prioritize areas with the highest concentration of oil residues and minimize further damage to sensitive ecosystems.
10. Monitor and adapt: Continuously monitor the effectiveness of the drone-powered mitigation efforts. Adapt strategies as needed based on evolving environmental conditions and feedback from ongoing monitoring activities.

There you have it! A brief overview of how drone professionals can use these flying robots to guard the priceless ecosystems that help sustain life on Earth. Following a multispectral photogrammetric survey in an oil spill zone, we can identify the presence of oil on the shore and in the sea and use the information to contain the spill, protect marine life, and plan for clean-up. The use of drones truly represents a powerful and innovative approach to environmental monitoring and response in the face of environmental disasters.