Drones for GoodStories
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- Drones tested for counting Amazon river dolphins on the Juruá River in BrazilWWF-Brasil and Mamirauá Institute for Sustainable DevelopmentIn November 2016 researchers compared drone and boat surveys of tucuxi and pink river dolphins on the Juruá River and found drones gave higher accuracy for counting animals in groups. Later work in the Mamirauá reserve added thermal cameras.2 sources · Added 27 Oct 2026
- Drones fire seed pods into fire-damaged land in Canada, backed by federal fundingFlash Forest (with federal and provincial governments, landowners and First Nations)From spring 2021 Flash Forest used drones to fire seed pods into burned land across Canada, planting over 300,000 pods in its first season. Canada's 2 Billion Trees programme contributed C$1.3 million.2 sources · Added 27 Oct 2026
- Phones, satellites and drones used to map banana crops and diseases in DR Congo and BeninAlliance of Bioversity International and CIATA machine-learning platform combined field data from phones, satellite imagery and drones to map banana crops and threats in DR Congo and Benin, reaching 97% overall accuracy according to the Alliance.1 source · Added 27 Oct 2026
- Local drone pilots map Cyclone Idai flooding to route rescue boats, MozambiqueLocal drone operators trained by FutureWater and Hiview, supporting INGCOn 23-24 March 2019, after Cyclone Idai, drone operators in Chimoio mapped flooding for Mozambique's disaster agency, locating stranded communities and improving routing of rescue boats for food and evacuation.1 source · Added 27 Oct 2026
- Drone imagery helps plan shelters in Rohingya camps, Cox's BazarLocal Government Engineering Department (LGED) and World Bank EMCRPIn 2020, with site access closed by COVID-19, Bangladesh's LGED used georeferenced drone images of Rohingya camps to plan shelter layouts and assess solar nano-grids remotely.1 source · Added 27 Oct 2026
- VillageReach and DRC ministry fly vaccines to a remote Equateur villageVillageReach and DRC Ministry of HealthIn 2019 drones from Mbandaka carried vaccines, syringes and medicines to a village of 6,500 residents in Equateur; flights took about 20 minutes versus six hours by road.1 source · Added 27 Oct 2026
- Freetown residents fly a city-wide open drone mapping campaignFreetown City Council and Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT)In April-May 2025 a crew of Freetown residents, at Freetown City Council's request and funded by HOT and GIZ, flew an open drone mapping campaign of the whole city, producing sub-5 cm imagery.2 sources · Added 27 Oct 2026
- Mountain rescue drone software locates missing hillwalker in Glen Etive, ScotlandLake District Search and Mountain Rescue Association drone group, with Glencoe Mountain Rescue TeamIn October 2023 a Lake District mountain rescue drone group used software that scans drone photos for anomalies to locate a hillwalker who had been missing in Glen Etive for more than six weeks.2 sources · Added 27 Oct 2026
- Fixed-wing drone counts king penguin colonies on South GeorgiaBritish Antarctic Survey, Bangor University and Durham UniversityResearchers used a beyond-visual-line-of-sight fixed-wing drone to image six large king penguin colonies. Drone-derived counts were within 3.5% of manual reference counts where imagery was high resolution.2 sources · Added 27 Oct 2026
- World Bank and IDB teams map Hurricane Matthew damage in Haiti by droneWorld Bank and Inter-American Development BankAfter Hurricane Matthew, World Bank and IDB teams flew drones over key communes in Haiti, covering seven villages and two cities in four days when satellite imagery was limited.1 source · Added 27 Oct 2026
- ICMR i-Drone study delivers vaccines and medicines in ManipurIndian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)ICMR's i-Drone programme studied drone links from district hospitals to primary health centres in Manipur in 2021-22, delivering COVID-19 vaccines and essential medicines.1 source · Added 27 Oct 2026
- India's Namo Drone Didi scheme gives agricultural drones to women's self-help groupsGovernment of India (Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Department of Rural Development, Department of Fertilizers)A central scheme to equip 15,000 women-led self-help groups with drones to rent to farmers for spraying liquid fertiliser and pesticide. According to a ministry reply, 500 drones were distributed under the scheme in 2023-24.2 sources · Added 27 Oct 2026
- Kenya launches drone application of bird repellent against quelea in Narok CountyKenya Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock DevelopmentIn December 2024 Kenya's agriculture ministry launched aerial application of bird repellents, using drones, to control quelea birds threatening wheat and barley farms in Mau Narok.1 source · Added 27 Oct 2026
- Kenya Red Cross drone mapping after the Mai Mahiu dam incident and floodsKenya Red Cross Society, with ICHAKenya Red Cross said it rapidly mapped Mai Mahiu with drones after the April 2024 flash flood, letting it advise authorities and alert a school and hospital downstream before another landslide.2 sources · Added 27 Oct 2026
- AI-assisted drone finds two overdue hikers in Kosciuszko National ParkFire and Rescue NSW, with NSW Police and State Emergency ServiceIn June 2026 a Fire and Rescue NSW drone with AI detection and a thermal camera located two overdue hikers in Kosciuszko National Park less than five hours after they were reported missing.3 sources · Added 27 Oct 2026
- Lifeguard drone drops rescue pod to two swimmers, Lennox HeadSurf Life Saving NSW (Australian Lifeguard Service)In January 2018 Surf Life Saving NSW lifeguards flew a Little Ripper drone to drop a rescue pod to two swimmers in heavy surf off Lennox Head; both reached shore unharmed apart from fatigue.2 sources · Added 27 Oct 2026
- Drone survey feeds flood forecast model along Malawi's Rukuru RiverUNICEF Malawi, with ARM, Globhe and UNICEF Office of InnovationIn 2023 a UNICEF Malawi pilot used drone photos of about 6,200 ha in Rumphi and 13,500 ha in Karonga to build terrain models for a flood forecasting model along the Rukuru River.1 source · Added 27 Oct 2026
- MSF and Matternet trial drones to carry TB samples in Papua New GuineaMedecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) and MatternetIn 2014 MSF trialled Matternet drones in Papua New Guinea's Gulf Province to carry sputum samples from suspected TB patients at remote health centres to Kerema General Hospital.2 sources · Added 27 Oct 2026
- Thermal drones used to count orangutans in nests in Sabah, BorneoKinabatangan Orangutan Conservation Programme (HUTAN) with The Orangutan ProjectConservation teams in Sabah flew thermal drones at night to detect heat from orangutans resting in nests, and had flown eight forest areas by mid-2025. Early checks found no orangutans left their nests.1 source · Added 27 Oct 2026
- ThirdEye project gives Mozambican smallholders drone crop-stress dataFutureWater with USAID, Sida and the Dutch foreign ministry (Securing Water for Food)From 2014 FutureWater's ThirdEye project used low-cost drones with infrared sensors to give smallholders crop-condition data, with local operators serving more than 3,500 farmers over 1,600 hectares.2 sources · Added 27 Oct 2026
- Namibia Flying Labs maps Ombili informal settlement in OtjiwarongoNamibia Flying Labs and Otjiwarongo MunicipalityNamibia Flying Labs flew a drone over Ombili settlement, estimating about 1,540 shacks and 6,160 residents; the data helped leaders revise the town plan.2 sources · Added 27 Oct 2026
- Drone training and village mapping in earthquake-hit Panga, NepalKathmandu University, UAViators and partnersIn September 2015 a training mission flew nine short drone flights over quake-damaged Panga and produced a 3D model and orthomosaic map that students gave to the community.2 sources · Added 27 Oct 2026
- Paris firefighters use drone video during the Notre-Dame cathedral fireParis Fire Brigade, with drones from French government ministriesDuring the April 2019 Notre-Dame fire, drones were flown over the cathedral to assess the blaze; the Paris Fire Brigade's spokesperson credited their images with tactical choices that stopped the fire reaching the two belfries.2 sources · Added 27 Oct 2026
- Drone survey of gharials and muggers on a Nepal river in Chitwan National ParkWWF Nepal with Nepal's Department of National Parks and Wildlife ConservationA fixed-wing drone flew a 73 km river stretch in Chitwan National Park, and image analysts counted 205 gharials and 118 muggers. The authors report about US$0.61 per km versus about US$21 per km on the ground.1 source · Added 27 Oct 2026
- International Potato Center uses drones to assess crop stress in the Peruvian AndesInternational Potato Center (CIP)CIP in Peru uses drones to aerially assess how potato and other crops perform under stresses including insect damage, disease, drought and frost.1 source · Added 27 Oct 2026
- Indigenous communities in Madre de Dios, Peru, trained to use drones for forest monitoringAmazon Conservation Association and Conservacion Amazonica-ACCAIn August 2025 community members in Madre de Dios were trained to operate and maintain drones to detect illegal logging, mining and deforestation and to patrol while avoiding direct conflict with illegal actors.1 source · Added 27 Oct 2026
- WeRobotics flies antivenom and blood samples in the Peruvian AmazonWeRobotics and Peru Flying LabsIn December 2016 Peru Flying Labs flew a drone carrying antivenom about 40 km from Contamana to Pampa Hermosa, and blood samples back, in about 35 minutes versus up to 6 hours by riverboat.3 sources · Added 27 Oct 2026
- Mision PIURA: volunteer drone consortium maps 2017 floods in northern PeruWeRobotics Peru Flying Labs with SPACEDAT, UAV del Peru and PeruLandBetween March and April 2017 a drone consortium covered over 7,000 hectares of flooded areas around Piura in three days with nine drones, producing 5 cm resolution maps for response and damage assessment.1 source · Added 27 Oct 2026
- Drones4Rice develops drone seeding and spraying protocols for Philippine rice farmersInternational Rice Research Institute (IRRI), DA-PhilRice and Philippine Department of AgricultureIn its first year the three-year Drones4Rice project developed and field-tested protocols for drone seeding, pesticide spraying and fertilizer spreading in three regions, supporting the government's drone voucher programme.1 source · Added 27 Oct 2026
- Drone confirms two people trapped by floodwater in a camper, VirginiaPulaski County Sheriff's Office Drone TeamDuring Hurricane Helene storms in 2024, a county drone team flew over a flooded camper where crews could not reach two trapped people, confirmed they were there, and stayed with them until help arrived.1 source · Added 27 Oct 2026
- Rega develops an autonomous drone to search for missing people in SwitzerlandRega (Swiss Air-Rescue)Rega presented a drone in 2019 that flies a search route autonomously with a thermal camera and software that flags possible people, intended to supplement helicopters when visibility is poor.2 sources · Added 27 Oct 2026
- Lifeguard drone drops life jacket to swimmers caught in undertow, SaguntoLifeguards using a General Drones lifeguard droneIn August 2018 a lifeguard drone flew out to seven swimmers caught in an undertow near Sagunto, Spain, and dropped a self-inflating life jacket; jet ski lifeguards then retrieved the swimmers, per New Atlas.2 sources · Added 27 Oct 2026
- Drones carry COVID tests and medicine between Argyll and Bute hospitalsSkyports and Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care PartnershipFrom February 2021 Skyports drones linked hospitals and a medical practice in Argyll and Bute, carrying COVID-19 test samples, medicine and PPE up to 3 kg per flight.1 source · Added 27 Oct 2026
- Swiss Post and Matternet pilot drone transport between Lugano hospitalsSwiss Post and MatternetFrom March 2017 Swiss Post and Matternet tested drone flights between two Lugano hospitals of the EOC group, intended to carry blood samples and other light parcels.2 sources · Added 27 Oct 2026
- WeRobotics flies post-earthquake damage surveys in Kagera, TanzaniaWeRoboticsIn October 2016 WeRobotics flew fixed-wing and quadcopter drones near Bukoba at the request of Tanzania's Ministry of Home Affairs to survey earthquake damage.1 source · Added 27 Oct 2026
- Tanzanian drone pilots map smallholder farms in Chemba District with IFPRIInternational Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) with WeRobotics and Tanzania Flying LabsIn March 2018 local drone pilots collected multispectral data over four areas of 50 to 800 hectares and over 100 farm boundaries in three villages, to ground-truth satellite crop data for smallholders.1 source · Added 27 Oct 2026
- NOAA hexacopter photographs all 81 Southern Resident killer whalesNOAA Fisheries Southwest Fisheries Science Center with Vancouver AquariumIn September 2015 a NOAA research team flew a remotely operated hexacopter over the San Juan Islands and took aerial photogrammetry images of all 81 Southern Resident killer whales to assess their condition.1 source · Added 27 Oct 2026
- Drones map Vanuatu damage after Cyclone Pam for the governmentGovernment of Vanuatu, with the World Bank and the Humanitarian UAV NetworkAfter Cyclone Pam in March 2015, drone operators collected high-resolution aerial imagery in over 30 areas of Vanuatu for damage assessment; the government later published it on OpenAerialMap.1 source · Added 27 Oct 2026
- Vanuatu and UNICEF pilot drone delivery of vaccines to remote islandsVanuatu Ministry of Health and UNICEFIn 2018 Vanuatu's Ministry of Health and UNICEF launched a pilot using drones from two companies to carry temperature-sensitive vaccines to 39 remote villages.2 sources · Added 27 Oct 2026
- Drones map mangroves and coral reefs for a marine protected area in Hai PhongInstitute of Oceanography (Viet Nam) with Bach Long Vi Marine Protected Area Management BoardResearchers flew small drones with multispectral cameras over Bang La mangroves and coral reefs near Bach Long Vi Island, and handed the methods and data to the marine protected area board for routine monitoring.1 source · Added 27 Oct 2026
- Zipline delivers COVID-19 vaccines by drone in GhanaZiplineOn 2 March 2021 Zipline began delivering COVID-19 vaccines by drone to selected Ghanaian health facilities, starting with Asuofua Health Center.2 sources · Added 27 Oct 2026
- Zipline and Rwanda's government start drone blood deliveriesZiplineFrom late 2016 Zipline drones flew blood products from a distribution centre near Muhanga to Kabgayi hospital, among the first commercial products delivered by drone.1 source · Added 27 Oct 2026