A project aimed at protecting Māui dolphins by monitoring them with aerial drones has gained the approval of the Civil Aviation Authority.

A non-profit wildlife technology organisation, Māui63, has already developed a drone capable of finding and tracking the critically endangered dolphins using artificial intelligence.

But the aviation authority had to approve its use beyond the visual line of sight, so that the unmanned aircraft could be operated far offshore.

The approval is for a 50km stretch of ocean off the West Coast of Aotearoa’s North Island, where Māui dolphins live.

The chief executive of Maui63, Tane van der Boon, said it was a huge win that would allow the organisation to survey the entire habitat of the world’s rarest dolphin. It is believed there are only 54 Māui dolphins left.

“To effectively track the Māui dolphins, we need BVLOS [beyond visual line of sight] to fly far offshore, to survey their entire habitat,” he said.

“It means we’ll be able to get out and survey up to 50km away from the pilot in a single flight without any observers required for spotting the drone or surrounding airspace.”

Maui dolphin.
Photo: Earthrace Conservation / Liz Slooten

He said this use of the drones would allow the collection of data better than ever before.

“We’ll be able to monitor the dolphins continuously, which will help…