Unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, have become increasingly important in the monitoring and management of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) particularly when used alongside thermal imaging sensors. Thermal drones have successfully been used for fawn capture, deer density estimation, harvested deer recovery, and other management practices, and thermal drones have been found to be both accurate and precise for deer density estimation given proper flight planning. Drones as a tool for deer monitoring and management improve upon manned aircraft in terms of costs and associated risks, but thermal drones nonetheless suffer from limitations related to battery life, signal range, line of sight requirements, and sensitivity to environmental conditions among other factors. Building on our previous work evaluating the precision and accuracy of deer density estimates gathered via drones, this presentation will discuss the current state of commercially available thermal drone technology, costs and considerations associated with implementing this technology, and lessons learned from our work. We will detail recommended flight parameters, drone models, and sensors as well as the future of this technology and its integration into deer monitoring and management. This discussion provides fundamental information for wildlife managers and researchers seeking to implement this rapidly evolving technology into their own work.
