Fin whale videotaped via drone off Dana Point; could this be the beginning of a trend?

The future of capturing whale-watching footage in Southern California appears to have arrived and, yes, it involves drones.

The accompanying fin whale video, captured Monday by Capt. Frank Brennan of Dana Wharf Whale Watching in Dana Point, provides an idea of what could be in store in the coming months and years.

A lot will depend, however, on regulations, whatever they might be, and how they might come into play.

 

NOAA whale-watching guidelines suggest that boaters remain 100 yards from whales, but they're only guidelines. So far, guidelines pertaining to the use of drones for photography have not been drawn up.

But NOAA officials will be discussing this issue in upcoming meetings, an agency spokeswoman said.

Airplanes and helicopters are supposed to stay at least 1,000 feet above cetaceans, but are toy-sized drones such as the kind used by Brennan the same as airplanes and helicopters? (See image at right, courtesy of Gordon Gates.)

They're certainly not as noisy, but flying one too close to a surfacing whale could be perceived as a form of illegal harassment. Fin whales, it's worth noting, are federally endangered.

Brennan's battery-operated Phantom quadcopter, launched from the 95-foot Dana Pride, hovered at an elevation of about 50 feet.

The footage shows an estimated 70-foot fin whale swimming and stealing breaths not far from the Orange County coast. The aerial look provides a unique perspective and enables viewers to see the entire length of these majestic leviathans.

The footage was posted on the Dana Wharf Facebook page Tuesday afternoon, and was being widely shared. It was later uploaded to YouTube.

Brennan has been practicing with the drone for weeks, and at least one other commercial whale-watching business has purchased one.

Dana Wharf, however, is the first local operation to show off footage from what it's referring to as the Dana Wharf Copter Cam.

Meanwhile, people are experimenting elsewhere, too.

Earlier this month off Norway, killer whales were filmed swimming around kayakers, via unmanned quad-copter. Here's a screen grab from that video:

–Pete Thomas

–Images are video screen grabs

Comments

[drudown]

I was dreaming the other night and this Killer Whale was trapped in the Arctic Snow. But she mentioned that was tragically ironic (in between dives), because Climate Change is melting the snow and the SAME elected officials taking "legal" super-PAC bribes are the ones CHARGED with opening their eyes. Well, the Killer Whale said it better. Here was the gist of what she shared. I honestly just asked her about the drones:

"Tell me, do the People really want any Tom, Dick or Harry flying robots around in an unregulated manner? 'Uh, I mean- who would have known! who could shave predicted! that this drone that killed your 5 year daughter in your front yard" was (drumroll, please) eminently preventable via commercially reasonable regulation.'

You want to use drones to film a cetacean in the name of Science? There can be a unduly onerous permit process.

But just like THE PEOPLE DON'T WANT COMPETING CURRENCIES (e.g., super Mario Bitcoinz)- we shouldn't just acquiesce to this "oh, it's coming whether you like it or not Media B.S." about private industry sending drones or ruining our ONLY supply of POTABLE WATER in such pronounced ("watch talking 'bout Willis?") DROUGHT CONDITIONS.

(sigh.)

Unbelievable.

People should review the FACTS on the UNLAWFUL Trans-Pacific Partnership. Not to sound flippant, but you cannot credibly contend that the purported "sonar harm" to cetaceans or annoyance of whale watching tours is material compared to the BREACH of DUTY and SUBVERSION OF our own SOVEREIGNTY such "trade agreements" purport (albeit UNCONSTITUTIONALLY) to "create" with NO CONSIDERATION to the People.

True or False.

ALL ENTITIES (e.g., Corporations, Trusts, Charities, Churches, etc.) that MAKE REVENUE should PAY FEDERAL INCOME TAX. Why talk of "reform" that LOWERS the net RECEIVABLES in a time when (ding ding ding) US CORPORATIONS HAVE RECORD PROFITS (see, e.g., documentary "We're Not Broke")? Anything less is a subversion of the Equal Protection Clause. Or can you explain how one party (e.g., that pays lobbyists millions and helps fund campaigns) is not getting treated differently under the law? I may be a Killer Whale ironically trapped in the Arctic ice, but I can still can see.

Isn't that the "point" of the Evil Empire's little "War on Science" experiment? That if you can (sensing a pattern here) "bribe" a handful of "scientists" to purport to disagree with results unassailably proven- not only by the Scientific Method- but our own damn lives. My god. The water is hotter. Duh.

If OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT is not compelled by the SEVERAL STATES to perform its functions under Article I, Section 8…even the cetaceans lose. Everybody on Earth but this handful of people lose. Why is that is not challenged? What- is Nero back and paying to disregard Science as temperatures fluctuate wildly- oh, and let's ruin the State and inculcate a "hatred" of government. Sounds like suicide, not prudent or sophisticated policy. But then I'm a Killer Whale and have to come up for air in this ironic situation I find myself in.

Still.

How is such a refusal by Congress to bring the most fundamental PROTECTIONS of our Founding Fathers' system of checks and balances within the three separate branches of government not a "deprivation" of life, liberty or property? [see, Davidson v. Cannon (1986) 474 U.S. 344] The members of Congress have no "discretion" to uphold and FAITHFULLY EXECUTE the LAW. The cannot "undo" the ACA if Health Care costs have slowed to most FAVORABLE levels in 40 years. You either with fiscal prudence or against it. Even squid understand that.


The People's representatives in government cannot simply abrogate their FIDUCIARY DUTY to uphold the Constitution by "turning another cheek" to the NSA's UNLAWFUL conduct, much less even CONSIDER entering into the Trans-Pacific Partnership that would, inter alia, UNDULY HINDER the United States' own SOVEREIGN RIGHT to enforce our Nation's DUE PROCESS protections (see, e.g., http://email.livefyre.com/wf/click?upn=oZtfHoAwEgZg8ZniQXSTq5QOA3w7F2glhfKgLw9nd4DAEforsWGsrFAS8NuA-2FkKSD-2Bl-2Ffb-2F-2FS8MJhdaPr6VWs-2B-2BTZZ4O0rfyYrRcwvkTtyTwqF5MjhBYiYi-2F7lOcMLz76oaBbReSb8X8rlSn79fKTPPHSFQWjXcoHoZd3RuFoKPJpn1DszQr4O9qjpfpqkOe_4e0HlrpxW3SxMgJ2O4Vk6OWwJ9DGGRIdOMzeSpnLZ4QE-2BwKO55hmXzXPoFmDOfKdsuj1CSJqTTn9YjkUVps4KPzr86zBh0LlbJqInULo8EOj5JnGtPLBSLqGHhAxu7z4R-2BhGAPBZb0io7-2F1rALkIIZCdjo9XTDBu2VRPdS6FML7vK1Acrh-2Bf7xjkmSy-2BlYme)?


This illusory strain of non sequitur, "blanket immunities" afforded to the SAME CORPORATIONS that are BRIBING our Congress and BOTH political parties has reached a point where it could literally kill millions and millions of United States citizens if even "allowed" to go forward (see, e.g., "Gas Land" documentary), despite being UNCONSTITUTIONAL, i.e., NO TRADE AGREEMENT CAN LIMIT THE PEOPLE'S DUE PROCESS RIGHTS IN THE SEVERAL STATES.
 That is what such egregious subversions of Due Process (e.g., NSA program and TPP) aim to do. 
The TYRANNY of the few over the PEOPLE.

Yes or No.

Write your ELECTED OFFICIAL: the TPP is UNLAWFUL and HARMFUL to the PEOPLE, Rule of LAW and STATE.

Our government needs to REIGN in CORRUPTION. It's not too late.

Oh, and can someone get Kozo from Wasa in Newport Beach to make me a Nigiri plate."

[D]

How annoying was that sound! Can you imagine how magnified it was to that poor whale?!! Hope this does stop VERY soon!

[Rita Clonts]

What great potential! Would so like to see drones used to nab poachers of African wildlife. Just do it!

[cybele]

If drones mean that people get better views of wildlife but can actually give them more space, it might be a good option. Most drones are the size of seabirds, though someone would need to investigate the noise they make and the issues that lost/abandoned drones (the batteries) might have on the environment.

[John B.]

Current regulations for flying over cetaceans is 1,000 foot ceiling (unless you are under a research permit). If you are flying a drone that high, then you are also required to have a pilot's license. So I can see this trend coming to a screeching halt very shortly.