Revolutionizing biodiversity monitoring: drone-assisted collection of environmental DNA in tree canopies
Our eDrone for collecting eDNA from tree branches has made the cover of Science Robotics. This achievement marks a significant step towards more effective and scalable biodiversity monitoring in terrestrial ecosystems.
We are thrilled to announce that our latest article “Drone-assisted collection of environmental DNA from tree branches for biodiversity monitoring” has made the cover page of Science Robotics.
With the historic Kunming-Montreal Agreement of December 2022, more than 200 countries agreed to halt and reverse biodiversity loss. Achieving this ambitious goal require effective technologies to monitor biodiversity. This is a task where robots collecting environmental DNA (eDNA) can make a difference. Measuring biodiversity with eDNA involves collecting and sequencing the genetic traces shed by local species in the environment. With robots we can collect these traces in more places and with less effort.
Our eDrone can land on branches and peel off eDNA from the bark with an adhesive surface. In our tests, the eDrone successfully collected eDNA from branches enabling the detection of insects, mammals, and birds. This is a first but exciting step towards making biodiversity monitoring more scalable and affordable!
This work is the result of two years of wonderful collaboration between roboticists, environmental scientists and biologists from academia and industry. A truly extraordinary team! Thank you, Emanuele Aucone, Steffen Kirchgeorg, Alice Valentini, Loïc Pellissier, and Kristy Deiner.
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