A Scottish Ph.D. researcher is using artificial intelligence to accelerate analysis of drone footage tracking a booming grey seal colony at Newburgh beach in Aberdeenshire. The AI model reduces processing time from hours to seconds, enabling weekly data collection over two years to study how rising tourist numbers affect seal behavior at the protected Ythan Estuary haul-out site. Early findings suggest minimal disturbance when visitors remain on the beach’s south side, while seasonal patterns show seals foraging near the estuary mouth in summer and hauling out closer to walkways in winter. With recreational drones restricted, the project operates under special clearance and points to broader applications of AI and drones across ecological surveys and industry use cases.
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