The fieldwork took place in Samburu and Buffalo Springs National Reserves in northern Kenya, where the researchers flew quadcopter drones over 14 individually known elephant families. Across 35 trials, about half of the initial flights triggered disturbance behaviours such as elephants lifting their trunks or pausing activity, but these responses usually faded within around six minutes and became 70 percent less likely during repeat flights, indicating clear habituation.
Drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles, have previously been used in Kenya to push elephants away from cropland because the rotor noise prompts avoidance. In this study, pilots instead flew at 120 metres or higher, approached from downwind and maintained steady paths, and under these conditions many elephants showed no visible reaction.
The aerial vantage point allows scientists to examine how elephants interact within family groups and how they respond to different situations. On-board cameras and integrated sensors collect large datasets that can be analysed with AI-enabled software to map social relationships, track movements and, according to the team, are close to supporting automatic estimates of each individual's age and sex.
The project, funded by the Colossal Foundation, builds on more than 30 years of Save the Elephants' long-term research combined with newer drone and data-analysis technologies. Save the Elephants CEO Frank Pope said, "Biodiversity is in crisis but we're not standing still. New technologies are expanding our ability to perceive, analyse and understand the wild world in a way that was previously unthinkable. This study promises to open a new window onto how elephants work."
Lead author Angus Carey-Douglas from Save the Elephants emphasised that flight technique is central to limiting disturbance. He said, "The way in which the drone is flown is crucial. We found that not all elephants were disturbed, and those that were became less agitated both during a single flight and over repeated exposures. Additionally, our results suggest that these habituation effects may last over many months if not years, demonstrating the capacity for learning and adaptability for which elephants are already well known."
The researchers conclude that this habituation gives drones potential as a non-invasive observation platform for documenting elephant movement, social interactions and responses to environmental change with minimal interference. Enhanced monitoring with drones is already revealing additional behaviours, including new information about how elephants sleep and behave at night.
Co-author Professor Fritz Vollrath from Oxford's Department of Biology highlighted the role of thermal imaging for nocturnal work. He said, "This research demonstrates the power of a new and rapidly evolving technology that allows us to probe ever deeper into the secret lives of elephants. For example, the onboard thermal camera penetrates the darkness, opening up detailed studies of night-time behaviour and sleeping patterns."
The Colossal Foundation supports the project as part of its conservation programme. Executive Director Matt James said, "We are proud to partner with and support Save the Elephants in deploying cutting-edge technologies to protect elephants in the wild. This collaboration is a powerful example of how Colossal's de-extinction innovations are already safeguarding living species today, demonstrating that the tools we're developing to bring back the past are equally vital for protecting biodiversity today."
The team stresses that drone operations near wildlife must remain tightly regulated. In Kenya, tourist and recreational drones are banned in national parks and reserves to protect animals from unnecessary stress, and the flights in this study were conducted under permits from the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority and the Wildlife Research and Training Institute.
Research Report:Elephant habituation to drones as a behavioural observation tool
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