Drone plunges suction-cup tag onto humpback whale off Hawaii

Drone plunges suction-cup tag onto humpback whale off Hawaii

Researchers with the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s Marine Mammal Research Program are taking whale research to new heights. Dramatic video shows a drone deploying a noninvasive suction-cup tag directly onto a humpback whale off Hawaii. The drone-integrated tagging technology allows scientists to collect detailed data on humpback whale health and behavior while reducing the need for researchers to approach the animals by boat.