explorer_mel

Melissa Schiele (explorer_mel) Zoological Society of London

Water-landing fixed-wing drones in marine ecology and maritime surveillance in MPAs and beyond.

Profile

Biography

I’m a 32-year-old Londoner, who has lived and worked in some far-flung places around the world, embarking on a mission to save the oceans (aren’t we all?!). My interests, however, lie in harnessing technology and innovation to old problems we face in conservation.

I recently completed my MSc in conservation science at Imperial College London, with the Zoological Society of London, with whom I am still working.

My work explores the use of a novel fixed-wing water-landing UAV (drone) for uses in ecology and marine surveillance. We are the first team (to our knowledge) to do this, and I will document our endeavours and my personal journey as an experienced project manager, but early career marine ecologist and drone pilot, in my blog https://theintrepidecologist.wordpress.com/

Expertise

LanguagesEnglish Polish

CountriesBelize British Indian Ocean Territory New Caledonia Tanzania, United Republic Of

Location

Habitat

Species

Conservation challenge

Technology

Roles and projects

UAV tech/pilot and Postgraduate research assistant

Organisations: Zoological Society of London

Water-landing fixed-wing drone pilot and technician for the ZSL. Marine ecological method development and IUU surveillance in marine protected areas. Working on operational guidelines and applications of the UAV in the field. Project/field coordinator.