Better Than Nets: DJI Drones in Australia for Shark Spotting

Queensland’s beaches are entering a new era of safety after a four-year government study confirmed that shark-spotting drones detect more than twice as many sharks as traditional nets and drum lines — without harming a single sea creature, as The Guardian reports.

The Queensland SharkSmart Drone Trial Final Report (2020–2024) revealed that lifeguards used drones to monitor 10 beaches, logging nearly 18,000 flights and spotting 676 shark events. In that same period, the state’s Shark Control Program (SCP) nets and drum lines caught 387 sharks, often with deadly consequences for other marine life.

Drones See More, Kill Nothing

According to the report, drones outperformed traditional shark-control gear by a wide margin. While nets and drum lines were in the water around the clock, drones were active for just a few hours each morning. Yet they recorded more sightings — 676 events versus 284 sharks caught in nets and 103 on drum lines.

Drones detected 4,959 individual sharks, including 190 that measured over two meters long. Most sightings involved whaler and bull sharks, though one white shark was spotted during the trial. No tiger sharks were seen, which researchers attributed to their preference for deeper waters.

The drones, primarily DJI Mavic models, also provided high-definition video for species identification, and pilots could spot large sharks in real time. That allowed lifeguards to clear beaches quickly — without the need for hours-long closures or guesswork. They used some classic DJI models, starting with the Mavic Pro, going trought the Mavic 2 Pro, Mavic 2 Enterprise, Mavic 2 Enterprise Zoom and Mavic 3 Classic. They also used the faithful workhorse Phantom 4 when some Mavic Pro drones were grounded due to technical malfunctions

Smarter Beach Safety

Drone patrols operated alongside Surf Life Saving Queensland lifeguards from sunrise to midday, covering 7,181 kilometers of flight paths across the trial’s four years. Weather caused only 5% of flights to be canceled, and the drones assisted in four swimmer rescues and several missing-person searches.

Chief remote pilot Rob Adsett said drones are transforming how lifeguards manage shark risks. “They give us a better view of everything happening at the beach,” he said. “If a shark is spotted, we can see its behavior instantly and act accordingly — without overreacting.”

During the trial, 39 beach evacuations were ordered after drones detected large sharks near swimmers.

Old Nets, New Problems

While the state praised drones as a “permanent fixture” of future operations, Queensland’s Department of Primary Industries confirmed it will continue using shark nets and drum lines. Those traditional methods, however, come with a cost: environmental damage.

Across the same trial beaches, nets caught 123 non-target animals — including 13 dolphins, eight whales, 45 turtles, two dugongs, and dozens of rays and protected fish species. About half were dead when retrieved.

By contrast, drones left no environmental footprint. In fact, they helped scientists study marine life behavior, spotting turtles, rays, and bait balls without interference.

Marine ecologist Professor Robert Harcourt of Macquarie University said the findings are “no surprise.” “If you’ve got clear water and sandy beaches, drones are extremely effective at detecting sharks,” he said. “The nets aren’t there to protect beaches — they’re there to fish them.”

What’s Next

Under Queensland’s 2025–2029 Shark Management Plan, shark-spotting drone patrols will expand from 10 to 20 beaches. The report also recommended testing autonomous drones, AI-assisted shark recognition, and extended flight times.

Professor Charlie Huveneers of Flinders University said drones are not a perfect solution but are a crucial part of the safety toolkit. “Drones are non-lethal and can detect sharks in real time, allowing people to leave the water,” he explained. “They’re not suitable in every condition, but they’re far better for the ecosystem.”

Even so, Premier David Crisafulli’s government remains committed to deploying 27 shark nets and 383 drum lines along the coast — a stance that’s drawn growing criticism from conservation groups, especially after multiple whale entanglements this year. Personally, I’m still thinking the WHY use of the nets after being scientifically proven that the drones are better on doing this job.

DroneXL’s Take

Queensland’s data speaks for itself: drones are twice as effective as nets, cost less to operate, and don’t kill dolphins, turtles, or whales. Yet the state still insists on hanging onto outdated, lethal gear that literally strangles marine life.

If drones can spot nearly 5,000 sharks in just a few hours of flying, imagine what a fully modernized system could do. It’s time to retire the nets and let smarter, safer tech take the lead — because the ocean deserves better, and so do beachgoers.

Photo credit: Queensland SharkSmart Drone Trial (2020 – 2024) Final Report, DJI