Aeroplanes are go! West Coast Sample Survey 1

We’re always on the lookout for smarter, faster ways to find Māui dolphins — and in March 2025, we tested something new: using our new camera system and a small plane to carry out an aerial survey along the West Coast of the North Island.

This first sample survey focused on the stretch between Manukau Harbour and Port Waikato, with the plane flying 5 hours in a single day. We completed several passes up and down the coast out to 2km offshore, flying at an altitude of approximately 750m and a speed of 167km/h.

In total, we captured 1,200 images.

What did we find?

The AI model detected 14 Māui dolphins — most of them closer to the shore, with the furthest sighting located 1.9 km offshore.

The first image shows where the detections occurred. These kinds of targeted flights are helping us build a better picture of how Māui dolphins are using this coastline and how we can monitor them more effectively.

Why it matters

Compared to our drones (with a single camera system), using a fixed-wing plane allows us to add additional camera payload (four cameras in total), expanding our field of view to 1000m wide. This means we can cover much more ground in less time, and at a lower cost. Crucially, we’re still capturing imagery that’s clear enough for our AI to detect dolphins with confidence.

This first test has been a real success — and it’s just the beginning.