Most of you will probably have seen the viral bear video that has been circulating on social media this week. National Geographic just posted an article that lets experts weigh in on the matter. Many scientists have expressed concerns about the way the viral bear video was shot. The drone footage was taken by Dmitry Kedrov on the coast of Russia’s Sea of Okhotsk last summer and shows a brown bear and her cub climbing a slippery snowy slope. Luckily it all ends well but not after the mother bear seemingly swats at the drone halfway through the video.

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We reported briefly on Ocean Alliance before, but this video that the non-profit organization provided us with is simply too good not to be shared. The drone footage of the whales is amazing and also the innovative way these researchers have been able to use drones, is a great example of how these unmanned aircraft can be used for good in the world. DJI has acknowledged this as well and is an official partner for the not-for-profit. The organization uses an Inspire drone, called the SnotBot to capture the droplets with DNA as the whales exhale by flying the drone through the spray. Fascinating stuff!

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Just this morning we came across this amazing video from Safari Live (National Geographic) that shows the Nkuhuma Pride of lions hunt at night in Kruger National Park in South Africa. The lions are being followed by one person (James Henry) in an open 4×4 and by a thermal drone. Watching the thermal drone footage provides a stunning view of the pride’s movement through the thick South African bush. At some point, you can actually see another smaller animal run away from the approaching pride.

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Check out this spectacular drone footage of a blue whale mother and her calf. The footage was shot by Domenic Biagini near San Diego on June 26. Reportedly the whales were circling their boat and according to the San Diego Whale Watch, the calf might have been nursing.

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In this latest video from DJI, we see how drones have become an invaluable tool in freeing whales from ocean debris such as lines and fishing nets. The people from Oceans Unmanned have teamed up with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary and have started to use drones to assess the whale and the way the lines are wrapped around its body. The unmanned aerial systems provide a clear picture of the situation, before they approach the whale, minimizing the risk to the people on board the boat.

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