Australia boosts shark-spotting drone coverage at beaches

New South Wales is significantly boosting its shark-spotting capabilities with a year-round drone program set to launch on July 1. The state government is investing an additional Aus$34 million (approximately €20.57 million) to harness artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, marking a "major scale-up" in surveillance.

This enhanced investment in "shark mitigation" will bring the state's total spending to Aus$120 million over the next two years. Premier Chris Minns stated that while no system can guarantee zero shark interactions, the expanded drone coverage aims to provide earlier detection and clear warnings to people in the water. "More drones in the air means we're getting a better picture of what's happening offshore and it means we'll get better at seeing them," he said.

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While no one can ever promise no shark interactions, this investment is about putting more eyes in the sky so we can spot sharks earlier and give people a clear heads-up when they're in the water.

The decision comes after a series of alarming incidents. A teacher was recently left in intensive care with an amputated arm after a mauling at Sydney's Coogee beach. Sightings of a great white shark at Bondi Beach also led to beach closures for three consecutive days. Tragically, a 12-year-old boy died in Sydney Harbour in January, and a woman was killed by a bull shark north of Sydney in November.

Under the new program, run by the state's lifesavers, approximately 70 beaches in New South Wales, including 38 in Sydney, will receive daily drone monitoring. Flight hours will extend from dawn to dusk, covering popular beaches even those not regularly patrolled by lifesavers. Scientists suggest rising ocean temperatures may be altering shark migration patterns, potentially contributing to the increase in encounters.

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More drones in the air means we're getting a better picture of what's happening offshore and it means we'll get better at seeing them.