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Narwhal Monitoring Program
Narwhal Monitoring Program
Arctic BVLOS operations for marine mammal research.
Client:
WSP / Baffinland Iron Mines
Location:
Bruce Head, North Baffin Island
Duration:
30-day deployment
Scope of Work
Aeria is responsible for all RPAS data collection, providing crucial behavioural and morphometric data to the WSP field team. This includes developing the operational protocol and submitting the Special Flight Operations Certificate (SFOC) application for complex Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) and high-altitude operations. We develop species-specific disturbance protocols used in obtaining the necessary permits for our operational profile.
The team operates from a remote, shore-based camp at Bruce Head on North Baffin Island over 30 days. Operations are typically high-altitude and BVLOS, extending up to 5 km from launch. The Aeria team consists of a BVLOS Pilot in Command and a Ground Supervisor.
Data Collection and Research Objectives
The primary objective is collecting behavioural data to support WSP's research efforts. Data collected by Aeria's RPAS systems analyze narwhal direction of travel and reactions to shipping activity, group composition and behaviour relative to vessel traffic via focal follow surveys, and morphometric measurements to evaluate narwhal body condition.
We conduct two main mission types. Focal follow missions are manually piloted flights recording narwhal behaviour from a static take-off location, typically flown below 400 feet AGL. High-altitude automated missions are flown at altitudes less than 1,000 feet ASL to capture imagery for early warning indication across Milne Inlet.
Deliverables
Project deliverables include high-resolution video, GPS tracks, and flight logs - all pertinent to the statistical modelling and analytics performed by WSP.
Services:
Arctic operations, BVLOS flight operations, SFOC application, marine mammal monitoring, wildlife disturbance protocol development
Aeria Solutions is a key partner in the ongoing Bruce Head Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) program, a component of a larger environmental impact assessment focused on narwhal populations in the Canadian Arctic. This collaborative effort with WSP on behalf of Baffinland Iron Mines investigates narwhal response to industrial shipping activities along the Northern Shipping Route in Milne Inlet.
