Facilitating Adoption of Uncrewed Aerial Systems In Wildlife Monitoring Through Northern Bobwhite Thermal Surveys and Habitat Mapping

State fish and wildlife agencies face increasing wildlife monitoring demands but often lack the time and resources to rapidly adopt and assimilate emerging technologies. Uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) are one of those emerging technologies. Despite their time on the market, along with their cost-effectiveness, rapid deployment, and minimal habitat impact, the use of UAS among state fish and wildlife agencies is limited owing to an absence of protocols and accessible workflows. This project will develop and evaluate UAS based thermal survey methods for Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus), a culturally and ecologically significant gamebird that has declined precipitously over the last three decades. Using North Bobwhite as our focal species, we will refine thermal UAS survey methods for covey detection and individual counts, link bird occupancy to high-resolution UAS-derived habitat features, and compare enterprise and open source mapping software to generate practical mapping workflows. Outcomes will include, Northern Bobwhite thermal detection methods, guidance on UAS and software selection, and manager friendly workflows that empowers managers to incorporate UAS into their habitat and species monitoring. Results will be shared with fish and wildlife agencies through regional workshops, webinars, national conferences, and publications. While this project is executed through the lens of Northern Bobwhite management, the methodologies developed will be applicable to other species and habitats, creating an adaptable framework for incorporating UAS into any wildlife monitoring plan.