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discussion / Drones  / 12 January 2026

Global Conservation Drone Map – documenting real-world practice

David Guerin

David Guerin

I support humanitarian drone operations in the Global South, as well as ecology and conservation efforts utilising drones. I specialise in drone: Safety, Operations, Regulations, and Airspace Management
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A world map visualising documented drone-in-conservation projects. Coloured markers indicate different categories of operational use, showing how drones are applied across regions for biodiversity monitoring, ecosystem mapping, restoration activities, and conservation management. The map supports an open, practitioner-led effort to document and analyse real-world conservation drone practice.

Why we’re building the Global Conservation Drone Map – and why your project matters

Drones are now widely used in conservation, but much of the real-world knowledge remains fragmented: scattered across reports, pilots, regions, and organisations.

The Global Conservation Drone Map is a practitioner-led effort to document how drones are actually being used for nature conservation worldwide, not as a showcase, but as a shared evidence base.

The map already documents well over 100 real-world projects and aims to:
– reduce duplication across regions and projects
– support coordination and shared learning between practitioners
– provide an evidence base for research, training, and standards discussions
– improve visibility between field operations, data workflows, and conservation objectives

This work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 14 (Life Below Water), SDG 15 (Life on Land), and SDG 13 (Climate Action), by linking field practice to measurable conservation outcomes.

Projects added to the map capture operational context and conservation purpose, not just technology. The dataset is already supporting open research, student-led analysis, and programme development. The project is supported by the Global Conservation Tech & Drone Forum (www.gctdf.org/) and Interim findings will be shared by @MacayleGuerin  during Track 1 (Drones in Nature Conservation) at GCTDF 2026 in Nairobi.

If you are running, supporting, researching, or evaluating a drone-in-conservation project, large or small, your experience is valuable.

Explore the live map: https://www.gctdf.org/map-conservation-drones

Add a project: https://www.gctdf.org/submit-drone-project
 

Questions, critiques, and suggestions are very welcome.  This is a community resource intended to evolve with practice.
 

@DavidGlobalDroneForum @MacayleGuerin