Drones for Conservation Field Guide Out in Paperback

Photographer Kike Calvo’s new book Drones for Conservation – Field Guide for Photographers, Researchers, Conservationists and Archaeologists lays the groundwork for how conservationists and archaeologists are using drones to aid their data collection, research and advocacy efforts as well as to monitor and defend against poaching and other environmental ills. The book covers not only case studies of how people are using drones all over the world for conservation projects, but also best practices on topics such as introducing new technologies in remote communities, logbook keeping and mission planning, backing up aerial footage and stills, understanding the basics of infrared cameras.

“Drones for Conservation is essentially just in its infancy, but while we can lament the possible consequent avoidance of a good slog of a field study, we can already see multiple benefits falling from the skies as it were,” writes National Geographic Conservation Fellow Thomas Lovejoy in the book’s introduction. “Yes there are insights that can only come from careful on the ground field research, but the ability of drones to soar over the conservation priority at hand is rapidly empowering conservation and conservation science.”

“This comes at a time when the pressure on nature and biological diversity is unprecedented, and, unfortunately, accelerating,” adds Lovejoy. “So anything technology can do to make the collective conservation enterprise more effective is highly welcome and will benefit future generations.”