![]() ![]() A total of 4290 (SD = 33.08) breeding individuals of two penguin species, Adélie ( Pygoscelis adeliae) and chinstrap ( Pygoscelis antarcticus), 426 (SD = 7.78) individuals of the southern elephant seal ( Mirounga leonina) and 6 individuals of the Weddell seal ( Leptonychotes weddellii) were identified in both study areas. Obtained selected RGB images were processed to generate a panoramic image stitch with resolution of 0.07 m ground sampling distance. A successful photogrammetric mission, at an altitude of 550 m above sea level, was accomplished during one Beyond Visual Line of Sight flight above hard-to-access Penguin Island and Turret Point Oasis (King George Island). The implementation of an auto-piloted UAV equipped with a digital camera (Canon EOS 700D, 35 mm f/2.0 lens) allowed us to collect high-quality material applicable to a quantitative analysis of the fauna populations. ![]() Here we used a fixed-wing UAV to collect data on seabird and pinniped populations in hardly accessible Antarctic areas. ![]() An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) as an alternative to manned aircrafts is an excellent, less invasive, safe tool, especially in sensitive polar regions.
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