Using UAVs Equipped With Thermal Cameras To Survey A Known Population Of White-tailed Deer

Abstract

New technologies are emerging that may have potential for yielding more reliable population estimates for white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus than traditional manned aerial surveys. In a study conducted in a 116.55 ha enclosure in the Edwards Platea ecoregion of Texas, we tested the accuracy and precision of population counts using a unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with a dual thermal-Red Green Blue (heat detection and color video) camera to conduct a complete area count of a known, closed population of white-tailed deer. We flew surveys from 2-4 December 2019 in pre-programmed transects and replicated them three times, in both the morning and afternoon. Detection was higher during morning surveys, when almost all deer present were detected, as compared to afternoon. The accuracy and precision of morning surveys reported here justify further research into the development of a method using this equipment for surveying large mammal populations in certain habitats.