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Consider for a moment the rate of advancement in the scientific understanding of DNA. It is formidable; from Fredrich Miescher’s nuclein extraction in the 1860s to Rosalind Franklin’s double helix X-ray in the 1950s to revolutionary next-generation sequencing in the late 2000s. Now consider the scientific paper, the medium used to describe and publish these advances. How is the scientific paper advancing to meet the needs of those who generate and use scientific information? We review four essential qualities for the scientific paper of the future: (i) a robust source of trustworthy information that remains peer reviewed and is (ii) communicated to diverse users in diverse ways, (iii) open access, and (iv) has a measurable impact beyond Impact Factor. Since its inception, scientific literature has proliferated. We discuss the continuation and expansion of practices already in place including: freely accessible data and analytical code, living research and reviews, changes to peer review to improve representation of under-represented groups, plain language summaries, preprint servers, evidence-informed decision-making, and altmetrics.

For flapping-wing micro aerial vehicles, the common approach to converting the rotational motion of a DC motor to the reciprocal flapping motion is using a slider-crank mechanism. However, frictional losses in sliders and rotational joints can hinder the performance of such a system. An alternative is a direct drive system where the wings are directly connected to a DC motor that has been driven by an AC signal. These two approaches are compared in this paper, to evaluate their performances and assess which one provides a better solution for flapping-wing micro drones. The electromechanical model of the two systems is used in this paper to compare their performances. System parameters for both types of drones were derived through a multi-variable optimisation process using the same DC motor. The comparisons are made in terms of input power requirement, aerodynamic power, system efficiency, and lift. The direct drive model can generate about 16% higher average lift at 5 V with 50% lower input electrical power. It has 29% larger aerodynamic power and the system efficiency is 16.0% higher than that of the slider-crank model.

As climate change intensifies, Inuvialuit in Canada's Western Arctic are facing a rapidly changing environment and associated impacts on human health, safety, and food security. Learning to cope with these changes requires context-based and current information that can inform subsistence activities and environmental management, and no one is better positioned to acquire this information than Inuvialuit themselves. This paper presents findings from in-depth interviews conducted in 2012 with six knowledge holders and seasonal residents of Kendall Island (Ukiivik in Uummarmiutun), a traditional whaling camp situated along the Beaufort Sea coast bordering the Okeevik Tarium Niryutait Marine Protected Area. A transdisciplinary and Inuvialuit-led effort, this research documents observations of change at this culturally important site and explores how residents are adapting to changing conditions. Interview transcripts were analyzed using iterative rounds of qualitative coding in NVivo software. Findings reveal pervasive social and environmental change on Kendall Island and in adjacent harvesting areas and highlight how changing conditions are affecting residents’ lives. This study identifies benchmarks upon which to compare and evaluate subsequent changes at this site and documents Inuvialuit knowledge and perspectives that can inform local-scale environmental monitoring, management, and climate change adaptation planning.

Titles of scientific papers play a key role in their discovery, and “good” titles engage and recruit readers. Humour is a particularly interesting aspect of title construction, but little is known about whether funny titles boost or limit paper impact. We used a panel of scorers to assess title humour for 2439 papers in ecology and evolution, and measured associations between humour and subsequent citation (self-citation and citation by others). Papers with funnier titles were cited less, but this appears to reflect confounding with paper importance: self-citation data suggest that authors give funnier titles to papers they consider less important. After correction for this, papers with funny titles have significantly higher citation rates (P

This paper presents and assesses the feasibility and potential of a novel concept: the operation of multiple Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) commanded and supported by a manned “Tender” air vehicle carrying a pilot and flight manager(s). The “Tender” is equipped to flexibly and economically monitor and manage multiple diverse UAVs over otherwise inaccessible terrain through wireless communication. The proposed architecture enables operations and analysis supported by the means to detect, assess, and accommodate change and hazards on the spot with effective human observation and coordination. Further, this paper seeks to find the optimal trajectories for UAVs to collect data from sensors in a predefined continuous space. We formulate the path-planning problem for a cooperative, and a diverse swarm of UAVs tasked with optimizing multiple objectives simultaneously with the goal of maximizing accumulated data within a given flight time within cloud data processing constraints as well as minimizing the probable imposed risk during UAVs mission. The risk assessment model determines risk indicators using an integrated Specific Operation Risk Assessment—Bayesian belief network approach, while its resultant analysis is weighted through the analytic hierarchy process ranking model. To this end, as the problem is formulated as a convex optimization model, and we propose a low complexity multi-objective reinforcement learning (MORL) algorithm with a provable performance guarantee to solve the problem efficiently. We show that the MORL architecture can be successfully trained and allows each UAV to map each observation of the network state to an action to make optimal movement decisions. This proposed network architecture enables the UAVs to balance multiple objectives. Estimated MSE measures show that the algorithm produced decreasing errors in the learning process with increasing epoch number.

In this paper, we argue that Indigenous data sovereignty (IDS) is vital for addressing threats to ecosystems, as well as for Indigenous Peoples re-establishing and maintaining sovereignty over their territories. Indigenous knowledge-holders face pressure from non-Indigenous scientists to collaborate to address environmental problems, while the open data movement is pressuring them to make their data public. We examine the role of IDS in the context of cumulative effects and climate change that threaten salmon-bearing ecosystems in British Columbia, guided by content from an online workshop in June 2022 and attended exclusively by a Tier-1 audience (First Nations knowledge-holders and/or technical staff working for Nations). Attention to data is required for fruitful collaborations between Indigenous communities and non-Indigenous researchers to address the impacts of climate change and the cumulative effects affecting salmon-bearing watersheds in BC. In addition, we provide steps that Indigenous governments can take to assert sovereignty over data, recommendations that external researchers can use to ensure they respect IDS, and questions that external researchers and Indigenous partners can discuss to guide decision-making about data management. Finally, we reflect on what we learned during the process of co-creating materials.

Poweshiek skipperling (Oarisma poweshiek Parker, 1870) populations have declined precipitously in the past few decades, and their global range is now restricted to two isolated regions, one of which is the managed Manitoba tall grass prairie in Canada. In this paper, we used a decade of survey data from 2010 to 2019 to understand how habitat features, management practices, and extreme weather impact Poweshiek skipperling abundance in Manitoba. The strongest predictor of abundance was the density of black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta L.), a primary nectar plant for adults. Poweshiek skipperling abundance also had a negative relationship with both the number of years since a burn occurred and the number of years since grazing occurred. Cumulative precipitation during their active period (May–June) had a negative relationship with skipperling abundance, whereas warm early springs and cool temperatures during the active period had positive relationships. These results suggest that management actions that maintain tall grass prairie habitat in an early successional stage (burning and grazing) and maintain important nectar sources benefit this population. In contrast, extreme weather events had varying effects on Poweshiek skipperling abundance. Results from this study inform ongoing management practices in the Manitoba tall grass prairie to support this endangered population.

Soil sampling is used in agriculture to monitor fields and plan fertilizer application. This task is typically performed manually, but ground robots have recently been introduced. However, ground robots are often slow and heavy, which contributes to soil compaction. Fast-flying drones could provide an interesting alternative to ground robots. However, drones are severely limited in their payload and in the forces that they can apply to the soil. This paper presents the Terra-22, the first airborne system capable of sampling densely compacted agricultural soils. To do so, many challenges were addressed, including the development of (i) a high-power density drilling system that outperforms typical brushed DC gear motor by 39%, (ii) a drill design that is 48% lighter than traditional steel auger drills and that keeps cross-contamination under 4%, and (iii) a drill penetration rate controller that reduces the torque requirement by 33% and the axial force requirement by eight folds when compared to a constant penetration speed controller. Outdoor soil sampling tests in a corn field (sandy loam soil, compaction between 0.8 and 2 MPa) demonstrated a 94% success rate on flat terrain and a sampling duration under one minute.

This paper underscores the significance of safety and reliability in the realm of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technologies, and how regulations play a pivotal role in ensuring their responsible use. We have analyzed safety incidents and trends both in Canada and globally, noting a decline in incidents attributed to enhanced regulations. Our comparative analysis of different UAV technologies identified batteries as the most reliable power supply, Global Navigation Satellite System as the most effective navigation system, and light detection and ranging as the optimal optical sensor due to regulatory compliance and system redundancies. We also examined the regulatory framework in Canada, comparing it with the risk-based approach of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and the efforts of Joint Authorities for Rule-making on Unmanned Systems towards global harmonization. Furthermore, we highlighted emerging trends in automation and flight control technologies, with a focus on European regulations shaping UAV automation trends. In conclusion, by adhering to best practices from other regulatory bodies, embracing emerging trends, and adopting a risk-based approach, Canada can promote the growth of the UAV industry while ensuring safety and reliability in UAV technologies.

Light pollution from artificial night-time lights (ANTLs) is a global health, economic, and environmental issue. Remote sensing and unoccupied aerial systems (UASs) provide efficient and cost-effective ways to study ANTL spatial patterns and dynamics over large areas. With ultrahigh-resolution images that can identify individual light sources, UAS offers more detailed image than satellite imagery. However, standardisation and optimisation of camera and flight settings during the acquisition ANTL UAS images is lacking. The aim of this paper is to determine the camera and flight settings to capture high-quality ANTL using a DJI Matrice 300 RTK aircraft with a Zenmuse P1 camera. It emphasises the importance of selecting appropriate camera settings for high-quality ANTL images, which can benefit future research. Results show significant image quality gains when camera and flight settings are chosen appropriately in relation to the lighting conditions. We present three experiments demonstrating a range of camera settings, and we provide practical recommendations for high-quality night-time image collection. The optimal camera settings were determined to be an exposure time of 0.0166 s, ISO of 25600, and aperture of 2.97. This experiment produced outstanding results, with 85% of images having a blur extent below 0.40.

Unmanned aerial vehicles, also known as drones, have seen increasing interest in recent years. This surge of interest is based on technological advancements, enhanced performance, affordability, and their large array of applications. Despite their utility in various applications, drones could also be used for malicious intent. The increasing concern regarding malicious drones triggers the use of various technologies and countermeasures, including drone detection and counter-drone systems. In this paper, we raise concerns about the malicious use of drone systems by providing a brief description of the major security threats. We also present the architecture of unmanned aerial systems, drone types, and their communication methods. We provide an in-depth overview of various drone detection techniques including vision-based, radio-frequency-based, and audio-based techniques, and discuss recent studies that address this issue using machine learning and deep learning models. We highlight the importance of using a hybrid approach for more accurate results.

Marine protected area (MPAs) networks can buffer marine ecosystems from the impacts of climate change by allowing species to redistribute as conditions change and by reducing other stressors. There are, however, few examples where climate change has been considered in MPA network design. In this paper, we assess how climate change considerations were integrated into the design of a newly released MPA network in the Northern Shelf Bioregion in British Columbia, Canada, and then evaluate the resulting network against projected physical and biogeochemical changes and biological responses. We found that representation, replication, and size and spacing recommendations integrated into the design phase were met in most cases. Furthermore, despite varying degrees of projected changes in temperature, dissolved oxygen, and aragonite saturation across the MPA network, suitable habitat for demersal fish species is projected to remain in the network despite some redistribution among sites. We also found that mid-depth MPAs are particularly important for persistence, as fish are projected to move deeper to avoid warming in shallower areas. Our results highlight that a representative MPA network with adequate replication, that incorporates areas of varying climate change trajectory, should buffer against the impacts of climate change.

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) swarms have gained significant attention for their potential applications in various fields. The effective coordination and control of UAV swarms require the development of robust mathematical models that can capture their complex dynamics. The paper introduces mathematical models and relevant paradigms based on the design and analysis of self-organizing swarms of UAVs. The logical and technological construction of the model relies on the theorems developed by authors for obtaining full information exchange during the swarm quasi-random walk. The suggested rotor-router model interprets the discrete-time walk accompanied by the deterministic evolution of configurations of rotors randomly placed on the vertices of the swarm graph. The recommended optimal and fault-tolerant gossip/broadcast schemes support the resilience of swarm to internal failures and external attacks, and cryptographic protocols approve the security. The proposed cloud network topology serves as the implementation framework for the model, encompassing various connectivity options to ensure the expected behavior of the UAV swarms.

This paper examines fish consumption advisories (FCAs) as a site of transboundary governance in the Upper St Lawrence River with the aim of identifying opportunities for enhanced coordination and power sharing to address environmental injustices. The Upper St Lawrence River is part of the Great Lakes watershed of North America and the traditional territory of multiple Indigenous Nations, as well as the present-day jurisdictions of Ontario (Canada), Quebec (Canada), and New York State (USA). Through an analysis of publicly available information on FCA programs, we examine similarities and differences in these programs across jurisdictions. We find an overall lack of coordination in fish monitoring and differences in consumption advice for a waterway in which fish may easily move between transboundary areas. We offer recommendations for improving FCAs in this transboundary waterway from the lens of environmental justice, focusing on (1) a shared and transparent approach to monitoring contaminant levels and fish species; (2) integration of cultural food practices; (3) enhanced outreach to angler populations; and (4) upholding the self-determination of Indigenous communities. We also underscore that FCAs should not be seen as a permanent solution. Preventing and reducing contaminants, including associated harm reduction in communities affected by FCAs, need to be priorities.

In this paper, the problem of cooperative search and tracking by multiple flying vehicles is studied. An algorithm is proposed based on optimal planning by minimizing a suitably defined cost function. In order to define the cost function, three maps are proposed: uncertainty map, detection probability map, and emitter map. In the uncertainty map, the geometrical status of the vehicle with respect to the region is considered and its suitability is measured. The detection probability map is defined such that the group of vehicles can detect new emitters that appear in their sensors’ coverage. Finally, the emitter map is a tool to keep tracking the detected emitters with acceptable error while searching the region. The assumption that the vehicles are equipped with only one commonly used radar range indicator sensor makes the proposed algorithms more applicable in the real world for a cost-effective system. The efficiency of the proposed method from the search, detection, and tracking points of view is verified through simulations.

The Cape Bounty Arctic Watershed Observatory (CBAWO), Melville Island, Nunavut (74°55′N, 109°34′W) was established in 2003 to examine Arctic ecosystem processes that would be impacted by climate warming and permafrost degradation. This paper provides a synthesis of how remote sensing has contributed to biogeophysical modelling and monitoring at the CBAWO from 2003 to 2023. Given the location and isolated nature of the CBAWO in the Canadian High Arctic, remote sensing data and derivatives have been instrumental for studies examining ecosystem structure and function at local and landscape scales. In combination with field measurements, remote sensing data facilitated mapping and modelling of vegetation types, % vegetation cover and aboveground phytomass, soil moisture, carbon exchange rates, and permafrost degradation and disturbance. It has been demonstrated that even in an environment with limited vegetation cover and phytomass, spectral vegetation indices (e.g., the normalized difference vegetation index) are able to model various biogeophysical variables. These applications are feasible for research sites such as the CBAWO using high spatial resolution remote sensing data across the visible, infrared, and microwave regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Furthermore, as the satellite record continues to expand, we will gain a greater understanding of the impacts arising from the expected continued warming at northern latitudes. Although the logistics for research in the Arctic remain challenging, today's technologies (e.g., high spatial resolution satellite remote sensing, automated in situ sensors and data loggers, and wireless communication systems) can support a host of scientific endeavours in the Arctic (and other remote sites) through modelling and monitoring of biogeophysical variables and Earth surface processes with limited but critical field campaigns. The research synthesized here for the CBAWO highlights the essential role of remote sensing of terrestrial ecosystems in the Canadian Arctic.

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the integration of drones across diverse sectors, particularly within architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC). The amalgamation of drones with mixed reality (MR) stands out as a promising avenue. Proposed applications include the comparison of design and actual objects, as well as landscape simulation in urban design. A previous study successfully developed a drone-viewpoint MR system with low model dependence, leveraging general drones and methods. However, the alignment between the real and virtual worlds was contingent on predefined flight routes, limiting adaptability during MR execution. This study introduces a new model-independent drone viewpoint MR system that integrates two vision-based attitude estimation methods, enabling execution on arbitrary flight paths. Evaluation of the prototype for system latency and alignment accuracy revealed an overall latency of 3.5 seconds. The alignment accuracy, assessed using intersection over union (IoU), demonstrated performance equal to or surpassing the previous system. While this paper does not showcase MR content for practical use, the research lays the groundwork for advancing drone applications in the AEC field. The proposed system offers versatility for MR applications across various stages, from design to maintenance.

This paper explores cultural narratives and oral histories related to two examples of traditional northern transport – long seal hunting journeys in the Baltic region, and nomadic reindeer travel in northeastern Siberia. Ample material has been collected and reviewed regarding means of non-motorised transport in the polar regions. However, scientific literature concerning the experiences and perspectives of the Indigenous and traditional community members who took part in these journeys remains scarce. This article explores the recorded narratives of two people involved in the journeys described. It assesses how these long distance travels form significance, meaning, observations and belonging to landscapes for these people. This analysis reveals that, rather than inhabiting northern ice and tundra scapes that are often described as barren and devoid of life, seal hunters and reindeer herders live in story-scapes rich in meaning. The sacred places, surrender to ice flow dynamics and ways of living ‘inside’ northern habitats that emerge from these testimonies offer a skeleton key for re-reading the misunderstood homelands of arctic and tundra communities.

This Indigenous-led project aims to better understand historical and contemporary ways in which Alaska Native Peoples steward salmon and the values connected to salmon stewardship. Indigenous Peoples have stewarded Alaska lands and waters for thousands of years yet have been largely excluded from western science and management systems. In this project, we utilize a participatory approach that allows for the equitable valuing of ideas and knowledges to document the breadth and depth of Yup'ik and Athabascan knowledge and governance systems in southwestern Alaska. We reshape research methodologies by centering Indigenous frameworks and methodologies, including circle dialogues and multi-generational interviews led by Indigenous scholars and students in their home communities and regions. In this paper, we share the Yup'ik and Athabascan values, knowledge, management, and governance mechanisms that can improve the long-term sustainability and equity of Alaska salmon systems. This research elevates the voices of Alaska Native salmon stewards and experts from the Kuskokwim Bay and the Kuskokwim River. We elaborate on five key themes that emerged from this research, including traditional Indigenous ways of life, Indigenous stewardship, self-determination, food and livelihood sovereignty, and ecosystem changes, and identify a more equitable and sustainable path forward for salmon and people in Alaska.

The roles of Indigenous youth in environmental research remain largely unexplored with little practical guidance for achieving meaningful engagement in environmental research. This paper aims to characterize the varying types of Inuit youth engagement in environmental research conducted in Inuit Nunangat. Findings were derived from a community-engaged participatory research approach in Mittimatalik (Pond Inlet, Nunavut). Our typology of Inuit youth engagement in environmental research suggests three types of engagements: “participate”, “conduct”, and “control”. Results highlight that Inuit youth who are interested in undertaking their own environmental research projects expect to enhance their knowledge of natural and life sciences more than those who may seek short-term supportive research roles. Strategies employed by researchers seeking to enhance youth research capacity may also vary based on youth wants and expectations. Our findings suggest that there is no one-size-fits all solution. None of the engagement types identified were necessarily and inherently considered better than the others by project contributors, unlike what has been proposed in other, hierarchical, typologies. Our proposed typology contributes to a better understanding of the varying roles that Inuit youth can play in environmental research, as well as inform potential frameworks for enhancing Inuit youth engagement and leadership in research.

The roles of Indigenous youth in environmental research remain largely unexplored with little practical guidance for achieving meaningful engagement. This paper aims to characterize the varying types of Inuit youth engagement in Western environmental research conducted in Inuit Nunangat. Findings were derived from a community-engaged participatory research approach in Mittimatalik (Pond Inlet, Nunavut). Our typology of Inuit youth engagement in environmental research suggests three types of engagement: ‘participate’, ‘conduct’, and ‘control’. Results highlight that Inuit youth who are interested in undertaking their own environmental research projects expect to enhance their knowledge of natural and life sciences more than those who may seek short-term supportive research roles. Strategies employed by researchers seeking to enhance youth research capacity may also vary based on youth wants and expectations. Our findings suggest that there is no one size fits all solution. None of the engagement types identified were necessarily and inherently considered better than the others by project contributors, unlike what has been proposed in other, hierarchical, typologies. Our proposed typology contributes to a better understanding of the varying roles that Inuit youth can play in environmental research, as well as inform potential frameworks for enhancing Inuit youth engagement and leadership in research.

This Indigenous-led project aims to better understand historical and contemporary ways in which Alaska Native Peoples steward salmon and the values connected to salmon stewardship. Indigenous Peoples have stewarded Alaska lands and waters for thousands of years yet have been largely excluded from western science and management systems. In this project we utilize a participatory approach that allows for the equitable valuing of ideas and knowledges to document the breadth and depth of Yup’ik and Athabascan knowledge and governance systems in southwestern Alaska. We reshape research methodologies by centering Indigenous frameworks and research methodologies including circle dialogues and multi-generational interviews led by Indigenous scholars and students in their home communities and regions. In this paper, we share the Yup’ik and Athabascan values, knowledge, management, and governance mechanisms that can improve the long-term sustainability and equity of Alaska salmon systems. This research elevates the voices of Alaska Native salmon stewards and experts from the Kuskokwim Bay and the Kuskokwim River. We elaborate on five key themes that emerged from this research including: traditional Indigenous ways of life, Indigenous stewardship, self-determination, food and livelihood sovereignty, and ecosystem changes, and identify a more equitable and sustainable path forward for salmon and people in Alaska.

Performance requirements for detect, alert, and avoid (DAA) systems for remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) are under development by many regulatory agencies and standards bodies. A DAA system can be decomposed into three functions, “detect” — situational awareness; “alert” — determination of traffic that may be in conflict, evaluation of the de-conflicting flight path, and informing the pilot-in-command; and “avoid” — avoidance maneuver execution, and determination of “clear of conflict”. The “Detect” function of a DAA system depends on the sensor, target, and environment characteristics (e.g., signal-to-noise ratio of the target vs. background). The “alert” function depends on conflict prediction algorithms and human factors requirements. The “avoid” function depends on the RPAS maneuvering performance, airspace “rules”, and the size of the protection volume. The aforementioned factors impact the time required to calculate, and execute, an avoidance maneuver that will guarantee a prescribed miss distance, and dominate the “detect” requirements of a sensor. This paper describes DAAMSim: a publicly available modeling and simulation framework, developed by the National Research Council of Canada, to support the determination of DAA system requirements, and evaluation of DAA system performance. The framework described herein incorporates the functional components including various sensor, tracker, and avoid models; data replay; visualization tools; and offline metrics. Further, this paper presents sample results of the framework’s ability to determine DAA system requirements for various degrees of RPAS and intruder performance, and concludes with a description of future work activities.

This is the introductory paper in a collection of four papers on the Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR) Evidence Alliance, a pan-Canadian research initiative that was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research in September of 2017. Here, we introduce the SPOR enterprise in Canada, provide a rationale for the creation of the SPOR Evidence Alliance, provide information on the mandate and approach, and describe how the SPOR Evidence Alliance adds to the health research ecosystem in Canada and beyond.

Open top chambers (OTCs) were adopted as the recommended warming mechanism by the International Tundra Experiment network in the early 1990s. Since then, OTCs have been deployed across the globe. Hundreds of papers have reported the impacts of OTCs on the abiotic environment and the biota. Here, we review the impacts of the OTC on the physical environment, with comments on the appropriateness of using OTCs to characterize the response of biota to warming. The purpose of this review is to guide readers to previously published work and to provide recommendations for continued use of OTCs to understand the implications of warming on low stature ecosystems. In short, the OTC is a useful tool to experimentally manipulate temperature; however, the characteristics and magnitude of warming varies greatly in different environments; therefore, it is important to document chamber performance to maximize the interpretation of biotic response. When coupled with long-term monitoring, warming experiments are a valuable means to understand the impacts of climate change on natural ecosystems.

The paper is aimed at assessing the associations between the road networks geography and dynamics of wildfire events in the East Siberian boreal forest. We examined the relationship between the function of roads, their use, and management and the wildfire ignition, propagation, and termination during the catastrophic fire season of 2016 in the Irkutsk Region of Russia. Document analysis and interviews were utilized to identify main forest users and road infrastructure functional types and examine wildfire management practices. We combined community observations and satellite remotely sensed data to assess relationships between the location, extent, and timing of wildfires and different types of roads as fire sources, barriers, and suppression access points. Our study confirms a strong spatial relationship between the wildfire ignition points and roads differentiated by their types with the highest probability of fire ignition near forestry roads and the lowest near subsistence roads. Roads also play an important role in wildfire suppression, working as both physical barriers and access points for firefighters. Our research illustrates the importance of local and Indigenous observations along the roads for monitoring and understanding wildfires, including “zombie fires”. It also has practical implications for fire management collectively developed by authorities and local communities.

A central contention of this paper is that conservation strategies are failing because they have become increasingly integrated into, and share the assumptions of, the structures of capitalism. As a result, conservation is becoming a strategic specialty within capitalism, rather than an ethical challenge to its basic assumptions. The paper examines this integration by analysing the way Hardin’s argument in the “tragedy of the commons” metaphor was taken up by policy makers in Canada’s East Coast fishery and a case is made that, as seen in the case of the fishery, this strategic integration limited the analytical capability of conservation to highlight the causes of environmental degradation. The critical literature on Hardin’s model points to the failure to recognize the importance of social relations and local institutional arrangements in combatting environmental failure. This paper contributes to the importance of “the social” in conservation debates by emphasizing Polanyi’s contrasting definitions of formal and substantive economics and the way they relate to contrasting conceptions of tragedy, as set out by Hardin (formal tragedy from above) and Goldmann’s conception of a historically specific tragedy that can be described as substantive tragedy from below. The analytical failure associated with Hardin’s metaphor can serve as a cautionary tale for current strategic and specific conservation strategies that tend to downplay the importance of ethical and social issues.

Many barriers to behavioural change exist when it comes to climate change action. A key element to overcoming some of these barriers is effective communication of complex scientific information. The use of visualizations, such as photographs or interactive maps, can increase knowledge dissemination, helping community members understand climatic and environmental changes. These techniques have been utilized in many disciplines but have not been widely embraced by climate change scholars. This paper discusses the utility of climate change data visualization as a tool for climate change knowledge mobilization. This paper draws on the case studying drivers of coastline change of Lake Ontario in the Town of Lincoln, Ontario, Canada. Historical aerial photographs were used to measure the rate of coastline change and visualize vulnerable sections of the coast. To better visualize the changes that occurred over time from a resident viewpoint, selected land-based historical photographs were replicated by taking new photographs at the same locations. These visualization tools can be useful to support the community in developing strategies to adapt to climate change by increasing understanding of the changes and knowledge through social learning. These tools can be generalized to other case studies dealing with community engagement in coastal adaptation efforts.

Both the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) explicitly emphasized the role of educators in “reconciliation.” Alongside this, conservation practitioners are increasingly interacting with Indigenous Peoples in various ways, such as in the creation and support of Indigenous protected areas and (or) guardian programs. This paper considers how faculty teaching aspiring conservation practitioners can respond appropriately to the TRC and MMIWG Inquiry while preparing students to engage with Indigenous Peoples in a way that affirms, rather than questions Indigenous knowledge and aspirations. Our argument is threefold: first, teaching Indigenous content requires an approach grounded in transformational change, not one focused on an “add Indigenous and stir” pedagogy. Second, we assert that students need to know how to ethically engage with Indigenous Peoples more than they need knowledge of discreet facts. Finally, efforts to “Indigenize” the academy requires an emphasis on anti-racism, humility, reciprocity, and a willingness to confront ongoing colonialism and white supremacy. This paper thus focuses on the broad change that must occur within universities to adequately prepare students to build and maintain reconciliatory relationships with Indigenous Peoples.

With growing attention to the ethical and equity implications of Western-based approaches to research, the urgency of decolonizing research has emerged as a critical topic across academic disciplines, including the field of sustainability. The complexity and messiness of this endeavour, however, may translate into uncertainty among researchers about how and where to start. This is partly due to a lack of guidance, training, and accountability mechanisms through Western academic institutions. In this paper, we advance a three-step process that systematically guides critical reflection toward respectful engagement of local and Indigenous communities, as well as other marginalized groups, by drawing on the literature and on learnings from a recent graduate student-led initiative. The process we develop aims to provide a pragmatic starting point for decolonizing research and a counterpoint to conventional modes of research. Such a process will not only foster accountability, respect, and reciprocity but also movement toward locally relevant, context-appropriate, and action-oriented research outcomes. Our three-step process also challenges Western-based and extractive research practices and seeks to facilitate a shift in mindset about the purpose of research and how to approach it.

The integration of remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) into shared airspace requires a thorough risk analysis. Specific operations risk assessment (SORA) is a widely adopted approach by international civil aviation authorities to guide RPAS operators in evaluating risks associated with their mission. A critical step in the SORA process is analyzing the airspace where the operation will take place, which requires knowledge of the intruder aircraft's flight characteristics as well as the airspace model. This paper proposes a methodology for developing a statistical airspace model using historical aircraft track data collected in the Winnipeg Manitoba Flight Information Region. The developed methods include data cleaning routines, Kalman filters for track smoothing, and Bayesian networks for synthetic track generation, following an approach similar to that employed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Lab. Additionally, the developed methodology allows for the analysis of specific models by altitude or aircraft type. The methods presented were subsequently adjusted for a comprehensive analysis spanning across Canada's diverse airspace. The initial statistical model, derived from Canada-wide data, is currently accessible to the public via the National Research Council's GitHub repository [https://github.com/nrc-cnrc/Canadian-Airspace-Models].

Drone remote sensing research has surged over the last few decades as the technology has become increasingly accessible. Relatively easy-to-operate drones put data collection directly in the hands of the remote sensing community. While an abundance of remote sensing studies using drones in myriad areas of application (e.g., agriculture, forestry, and geomorphology) have been published, little consensus has emerged regarding best practices for drone usage and incorporation into research. Therefore, this paper synthesizes relevant literature, supported by the collective experiences of the authors, to propose ten fundamental practices for drone remote sensing research, including (1) focus on your question, not just the tool, (2) know the law and abide by it, (3) respect privacy and be ethical, (4) be mindful consumers of technology, (5) develop or adopt a data collection protocol, (6) treat Structure from Motion (SfM) as a new form of photogrammetry, (7) consider new approaches to analyze hyperspatial data, (8) think beyond imagery, (9) be transparent and report error, and (10) work collaboratively. These fundamental practices, meant for all remote sensing researchers using drones regardless of area of interest or disciplinary background, are elaborated upon and situated within the context of broader remote sensing research.

With Inuit organizations leading the way, there is a growing opportunity for meaningful partnerships between Inuit and visiting researchers to create impactful research programs and policy initiatives that reflect Inuit priorities. Collaborative research methods, where Inuit and visiting researchers work together to meet community needs, offer a potential avenue for braiding knowledge systems, and therefore have become an increasingly popular way to conduct research in the Arctic. In this paper, we outline our use of the data analysis method known as the “Framework Method” during the Imappivut Knowledge Study, a participatory mapping project led by the Nunatsiavut Government. We reflect on both the method's applicability and its usefulness for future research conducted in collaboration between Inuit and non-Inuit researchers. We find that the Framework Method allowed us to work in an iterative and adaptive manner, resulting in comprehensive findings for marine spatial planning. The method also supported data sovereignty for the Nunatsiavut Government. The Framework Method can be used to allow Nunatsiavut greater control over the data internally and self-determining access to external researchers.

Underground stope mapping is crucial to evaluate the quantity of blasted rock and the site integrity. In recent years, lidar-equipped drones have been used to map stopes with higher precision and without blind spots. However, they have limitations, such as large size, challenging lidar positioning on the drone, limited flight time for detailed visual inspections, and unreliable communication underground. This paper discusses the development of a compact tethered drone called the NetherDrone, specifically designed for stope inspections. The NetherDrone uses custom ducted propulsion to increase thrust efficiency by 50%. It reduces the propellers’ diameter and overall frame while maintaining an adequate lifting capability with low power consumption. The drone features an onboard 120 m tether spool for communication and power transmission, as well as a rotating arm to deploy the cable and reduce yaw moments from the tether tension. Flights in a real stope demonstrated that the drone could effectively move at least 50 m deep into a complex stope, complete a detailed lidar scan, visually scan one face of the stope in close proximity during 20 min, travel a total distance of 270 m, and maintain communications with an operator at all times through the tether.

Employment of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones as swarms of coordinating nodes offers multiple advantages for commercial as well as military applications. However, the complex communication requirements of these swarms, coupled with high data rates of advanced UAV payloads, require innovative techniques for optimizing data throughput. Channel capacity being the key resource, optimum communication architecture and network topology is critical to ensure quality of service while remaining within transmission power constraints. This paper proposes a capacity maximization approach for swarm communication architectures using mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP). These techniques are designed to tackle optimization applications involving both discrete variables and nonlinear system dynamics. Mathematical model formulated considering system constraints and desired objective function establishes applicability of MINLP. Since MINLP problems are NP-hard in general, computational overheads and search space exponentially grow with number of nodes in the swarm. Therefore, outer approximation algorithm has been applied that achieves near-optimal solutions with reduced convergence time and complexity compared with exhaustive search. Applicability of algorithm regardless of selected communication architecture has been established through realistic simulations.

Summary This journal (Drone Systems and Applications; DSA) conducted a targeted “horizon scan” during 2022 within our team of editors and associate editors. We asked—Which research areas currently under-represented in Drone Systems and Applications would you like to see more heavily represented in the future? The process highlighted five areas of interest and potential growth: Drones in the geosciences Aquatic drones Ground drones Drones within calibration/validation experiments Drones and computer vision Over the past two years (2020–22), the journal has published over 50 papers with a strong leaning towards aerial drones for ecology and also with an engineering focus. DSA is keen to receive new submissions addressing the five highlighted areas, which lie firmly within the aims and scope of the journal. Further to the horizon scan, we propose two special collections for the coming year—one addressing drone applications (drones in geoscience applications) and a second addressing drone systems (aquatic drone systems). We would like to hear from scientists and practitioners in these fields as both contributors and (or) collection editors.

This article proposes a mobile robot localization system developed using Google Indoor Street View (GISV) and Convolutional Neural Network (CNN)-based visual place recognition. The proposed localization system consists of two main modules. The first is a place recognition module based on GISV and a net Vector of Locally Aggregated Descriptors (VLAD)-based CNN. The second is a factor graph-based optimization module. In this work, we show that a CNN-based approach can be utilized to overcome the lack of visually distinct features in indoor environments and changes in images that can occur when using different cameras at different points in time for localization. The proposed CNN-based localization system is implemented using reference and query images obtained from two different sources (GISV and a camera attached to a mobile robot). It has been experimentally validated using a custom indoor dataset captured at the Memorial University of Newfoundland engineering building basement. The main results of this paper show that GISV-based place recognition reduces the percentage drift by 4% for the dataset and achieves a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 2 m for position and 2.5° for orientation.

Based on the Mindlin solution, this paper considers the influence of factors such as the non-uniform distribution of additional thrust of the cutter head influenced by lateral earth pressure in shield excavation, the non-uniform distribution of friction of shield shell influenced by soil softening and slurry spreading, and the non-uniform distribution of grouting pressure influenced by slurry spreading on the horizontal displacement of soil. The existing prediction formula is revised and verified by engineering examples. It is found that: affected by the shield construction disturbance force, the horizontal displacement behind the excavation surface is larger than that in front of the excavation surface, and the peak value of the horizontal displacement appears around the tunnel axis; through the verification of engineering case, when calculating the horizontal displacement in front of the excavation surface, the calculation results of both the modified formula and the original formula are in good agreement with the measured values, which can reflect the change trend of the measured horizontal displacement; when calculating the horizontal displacement behind the excavation surface, the calculation result of the existing formula has a great error due to the assumption of uniform distribution of disturbance force, which is different from the law of the measured result; the calculation result of the modified prediction formula is obviously in better agreement with the measured deformation value, and the error is smaller, which is more in line with the engineering reality.

This paper describes the partial automation of drones (also referred to as uncrewed aerial vehicles, UAVs, or aerial robots) in populated areas within the visual line-of-sight of their pilot. Mission responsiveness is improved by reducing the number of human crew members and avoiding the need for area clearance, while carefully managing the workload of those remaining to ensure no compromise on safety. The work employs a system-centric approach with regard to integrating human and automation tasks based on their capabilities and use of standard procedures, whilst prioritizing the predictability and simplicity of the overall system. Safety claims about the proposed system are posed and rigorously analyzed through a structured safety case. The proposed system is applied to a bridge inspection case study with simulation results and scenario analysis.

This study is a meta-analysis of recent global research articles on hydrogeochemical modelling of permafrost regions to determine trends and consensus on research gaps and future research directions. The hydrogeochemical response of permafrost to climate change remains challenging to estimate and forecast despite evidence of large-scale impacts on freshwater and ecological cycles. We investigate the feasibility, need, and potential for hydrogeochemical modelling of permafrost landscapes by reviewing recommendations from previous modelling, review, and primer papers, including discussing ways to advance this type of modelling science. Key permafrost hydrogeochemical processes are discussed, including heat transfer and associated freeze–thaw regimes, biogeochemical processes and rates, and surface and subsurface flow. Modelling considerations (i.e., model dimension, scale, heterogeneity, and permafrost zonation) and model parameters are subsequently examined. Finally, limitations and additional considerations for advancing permafrost hydrogeochemical modelling efforts are reviewed. The findings of this review are summarized in recommendations, tables, and two schematics incorporating key considerations for future hydrogeochemical modelling initiatives in permafrost environments.

This paper documents the first comprehensive inventory of thermokarst and thaw-sensitive terrain indicators for a 2 million km2 region of northwestern Canada. This is accomplished through the Thermokarst Mapping Collective (TMC), a research collaborative to systematically inventory indicators of permafrost thaw sensitivity by mapping and aerial assessments across the Northwest Territories (NT), Canada. The increase in NT-based permafrost capacity has fostered science leadership and collaboration with government, academic, and community researchers to enable project implementation. Ongoing communications and outreach have informed study design and strengthened Indigenous and stakeholder relationships. Documentation of theme-based methods supported mapper training, and flexible data infrastructure facilitated progress by Canada-wide researchers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The TMC inventory of thermokarst and thaw-sensitive landforms agree well with fine-scale empirical mapping (69%–84% accuracy) and aerial inventory (74%–96% accuracy) datasets. National- and circumpolar-scale modelling of sensitive permafrost terrain contrasts significantly with TMC outputs, highlighting their limitations and the value of empirically based mapping approaches. We demonstrate that the multiparameter TMC outputs support a holistic understanding and refined depictions of permafrost terrain sensitivity, provide novel opportunities for regional syntheses, and inform future modelling approaches, which are urgently required to comprehend better what permafrost thaw means for Canada's North.

Various multiple-disciplinary terms and concepts (although most commonly “interdisciplinarity,” which is used herein) are used to frame education, scholarship, research, and interactions within and outside academia. In principle, the premise of interdisciplinarity may appear to have many strengths; yet, the extent to which interdisciplinarity is embraced by the current generation of academics, the benefits and risks for doing so, and the barriers and facilitators to achieving interdisciplinarity, represent inherent challenges. Much has been written on the topic of interdisciplinarity, but to our knowledge there have been few attempts to consider and present diverse perspectives from scholars, artists, and scientists in a cohesive manner. As a team of 57 members from the Canadian College of New Scholars, Artists, and Scientists of the Royal Society of Canada (the College) who self-identify as being engaged or interested in interdisciplinarity, we provide diverse intellectual, cultural, and social perspectives. The goal of this paper is to share our collective wisdom on this topic with the broader community and to stimulate discourse and debate on the merits and challenges associated with interdisciplinarity. Perhaps the clearest message emerging from this exercise is that working across established boundaries of scholarly communities is rewarding, necessary, and is more likely to result in impact. However, there are barriers that limit the ease with which this can occur (e.g., lack of institutional structures and funding to facilitate cross-disciplinary exploration). Occasionally, there can be significant risk associated with doing interdisciplinary work (e.g., lack of adequate measurement or recognition of work by disciplinary peers). Solving many of the world’s complex and pressing problems (e.g., climate change, sustainable agriculture, the burden of chronic disease, and aging populations) demands thinking and working across long-standing, but in some ways restrictive, academic boundaries. Academic institutions and key support structures, especially funding bodies, will play an important role in helping to realize what is readily apparent to all who contributed to this paper—that interdisciplinarity is essential for solving complex problems; it is the new norm. Failure to empower and encourage those doing this research will serve as a great impediment to training, knowledge, and addressing societal issues.

Nowadays, individuals heavily rely on search engines for seeking information. The presence of information bubbles (filter bubbles and echo chambers) can threaten the effectiveness of these systems in providing unbiased information and damage healthy civic discourse and open-minded deliberation. In this paper, we propose a new paradigm for search that aims at mitigating the information bubble in the search. The paradigm, which we call perspective-based search (PBS), is based on the intuition that in a fair search the user should not be limited to the results corresponding to a specific perspective of the search topic. Briefly, in PBS, different perspectives of the search topic are identified and presented to the user and the user can select a perspective for the search results. In this paper, we focus on the paradigm itself, why it is an appropriate solution, and how it differs from other solutions. We raise new questions and call for research on the paradigm and on providing solutions for implementing its required components. We do not aim at providing any specific implementation for it, although we provide some hints on implementing it. We also provide a survey of the related concepts and methods and discuss their differences with PBS.

Equilibrium modelling, also known as spin-up, is a technique for initializing a stable thermal regime in ground temperature models for permafrost regions. The results act as a baseline for subsequent transient analyses of ground temperature response to climate change or infrastructure. In practice, spin-up procedures are often loosely described or neglected, and the criteria by which a stable thermal regime is evaluated are rarely defined or presented explicitly. In this paper, model results show that no single criterion based on thresholds of inter-cycle temperature change can be used to identify a stable thermal regime in all spin-up scenarios. Results from simulations using a wide range of initialization temperatures and conditions show the number of spin-up cycles can range between 10 and 10 000, and a spin-up criterion as fine as 0.00001 °C/cycle is required to achieve a stable thermal regime suitable for deeper warm permafrost models. The implications of selected threshold criteria are examined in follow-up transient analyses and show that warm permafrost models can be highly sensitive to initial temperature profiles based on the criterion used. The results alert scientists and engineers to the importance of initialization on site-specific and regional permafrost models for transient ground temperature analyses.

The land is where Inuit knowledge transfer has taken place for generations. Land-based programs for learning and healing have been increasingly initiated across Inuit Nunangat in support of Inuit knowledge transfer that was disrupted by colonial settlement policies and imposed governance systems. We worked with Elders in Uqšuqtuuq (Gjoa Haven, Nunavut) to develop a project to understand the connections between caribou and community well-being. They emphasized that Elder–youth land camps are the most effective means for Elders to share their knowledge, for youth to learn, and for researchers to engage in respectful research. We used the Qaggiq Model for Inuktut knowledge renewal as a guiding framework, and we followed the direction of a land camp planning committee to plan, facilitate, and follow-up on three land camps (2011–2013). The Qaggiq Model also outlines the Qaggiq Dialogue as a way of engaging in relational accountability according to Inuit context and values. In this paper, we reflect on the complexities of upholding relational accountability in cross-cultural research — as part of entering into a Qaggiq Dialogue — with particular emphasis on local leadership, ethics and safety, experiential learning, and continuity. Our intention is to help others evaluate the opportunities and limitations of land camps for their own community context and research questions.Inuit tama’nganituqaq ilihaivalau’mata nunamii’lutik. Ublumiuřuq Inuit nunaa’ni humituinnaq nunami ilihainahualiqpaktut nunamiinirmik, inuuhirmi’nik i&uaqhinahuaq&-utiglu qauřimanirmi’nik tunihinahuaq&utik nutaqqami’nut qablunaaqaliraluaqti’lugu Inuktut ilihattiaruiralua’mata. Qauřihaqtit taapkuat hanaqatiqaq&utik inutuqarnik Uqšuqtuurmiutarnik Nunavummi, nalunaiqhittiarahuaq&utik tuktut inuuhuqattiarutauni-ngi’nik, inutuqallu nunami katiqatigiiquři’lutik i&uarniqšaittuu’mat: inutuqarnut ta’na ilihaqtami’nik ilihaijuma’lutik, inuuhuktullu ilihattiatqiřaujungna’mataguuq, qauřihaqtillu ta’na qauřihattiatqijaujungna’mata atuutiqaqtunik inungnut. Atuqtut malik&utik qařginnguarmik pivaallirutaunahuaqtumik atuqtauvaktumik atu’magit, malik&utiglu katimařiralaat inuit pitquřai’nik, pingahuiqtiq&utik nunami katiqatigiingniqaralua’mata ukiut 2011-mit 2013-mut. Taamnalu qařginnguaq atuqtauvaktuq titiraqtauhimařuq nalunaiqhihima’mat iluani qanuq qapblunaat pittiarahuarniqšaujungnariakšaita qauřihaqti’lugit inuit pitquhiagut i&uatqiřauřumik. Tařvani titiraqtut unipkaaq&utik ilaagut atqunarnia’nik pittiarahuaq&utik ilitquhiqaqatigiinngiti’lugit – inuuqatigiigahuaq&utik qařgiqaqatigiiktutut ukunanik atuutikhaqarahuaq&utik hanařut: taamna qauřiharniq inungnit aulatau’luni, pittiarnirlu qanurinnginnirlu ihumagiřauřut, nunami ilihaq&utik, kajuhiinnarungnaqtumik aturahuaq&utik atuutiqaqtunik inungnut. Qauřihaqtit tařvani unipkaaqtut atuqtami’nik ikajurniqaqu’lugu ahiinut nunami ilihaqtittinahuaqtunut ima’natut hanalutik, atuutiqattiarnia’niglu atqunarnarnia’niglu ilaagut, ahiit na’miniq hanajumagutik nunami’ni qauřihaqrumagutik ima’natut pijungna’mata.

A quadcopter manipulator system is an aerial robot consisting of a quadcopter with a robotic arm attached to it. The system has coupled nonlinear dynamics with uncertain time-varying parameters. The work in this paper focuses on designing an adaptive nonlinear controller to facilitate the uncertain system’s trajectory tracking and stability. The novelty of the proposed work is the design and implementation of an adaptive feedback linearization controller, called adaptive augmented torque (AAT) control, for the aerial robot. The control law is based on a feedback linearization controller with model reference adaptive controller and a tracking error-based augmented term. Using the input-to-state stability concept, a bound on the parameter estimation error is also developed. In the presented methodology, the controller uses estimated values of system parameters obtained from the adaptive mechanism and the tracking error to compute the control input using the AAT control law. An adaptive law for estimating unknown parameters is obtained using the strictly positive real-Lyapunov method. The asymptotic stability of the closed-loop system is analyzed via the Lyapunov theory. Simulations implemented in MATLAB and ROS/Gazebo and preliminary hardware experiments are presented to validate the theoretical results and to corroborate the performance of the AAT control law.

The icing of aircraft on the ground is an important flight safety issue. Aircraft must be de-iced and anti-iced to remove and protect the aircraft from freezing and frozen contamination, respectively, before and during takeoff. Winter de-icing and anti-icing operations are nonetheless costly, require a significant amount of time, and rely on extensive infrastructures. The essential equipment is often not available at smaller airports and remote locations, thereby preventing departures under a range of winter conditions. For sites located in northern Canada, this limitation results in frequent takeoff delays or cancellations during a significant portion of the year. As part of Canada’s Department of National Defence Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security research program, this study aimed to develop a practical solution to mitigate these limitations. This solution involves mounting a ground de-icing/anti-icing system onto a drone for a system that can be readily acquired and stored at smaller airports and remote locations or even be transported within the aircraft itself to ensure the possibility of performing de-icing/anti-icing operations at sites lacking the standard infrastructure. This paper presents the conception and design of a drone-based system that should allow winter operations at small and remote airports where it is not yet available. To do so, a spraying system satisfying the industry requirements is designed and integrated to a selected drone. The calculations were theoretically confirmed as a concept, and a prototype was built to perform laboratory and flight test in the next part of the study.

This paper presents pitch control of an uninhabited airship using changes in center of gravity. Changes in center of gravity are achieved by controlling the position of a movable gondola along a rigid keel fixed to the bow of the helium envelope. The longitudinal multi-body dynamic equations of motion were developed using the measured and estimated physical properties and an adaptive PID controller was designed to control the pitch angle. Flight tests on a 4 m long uninhabited airship prototype were conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the method.

Effective management of animal populations requires knowledge of life history parameters and estimates of population abundance. One method commonly used to estimate abundance is capture–recapture analyses of photographs. Small, relatively inexpensive, rotary-wing drones have become an effective platform for obtaining high-quality aerial photographs of whales. To conduct capture–recapture analyses the animal needs to be defined as marked or unmarked and the photographs must be of high quality. While a system for scoring quality and markedness has previously been developed for bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus Linnaeus, 1758) (Rugh et al. 1998. Rep. int. Whal. Commn. 48: 501–512), a revised scoring system was needed to incorporate increased information in photographs taken by drones. We present a revised scoring system that enlarges two of the previously defined areas of the whale examined for markings and incorporates smaller markings into the definition of marked whales. We scored 30 whales using the previous criteria and the revised criteria developed in this paper. More whales were identified as marked (23%) and mark scores were higher for 30% of the zones scored using the new system. Increasing the number of marked whales during capture–recapture studies increases the precision of estimated parameters and permits us to make those estimates with smaller samples of photographs.

This paper presents and experimentally evaluates an algorithm named Multiple Generalized Likelihood Ratio (MGLR) for detecting and estimating multiple consecutive measurement biases appearing frequently, in the case of non-redundant sensors; typically the case for a small drone or remotely piloted aerial vehicle. The algorithm itself is based on the Generalized Likelihood Ratio (GLR) algorithm by Willsky for bias detection and estimation, and introduces additional steps for continuously estimating, compensating, and eliminating measurement biases after detection. An experimental campaign using a car-mounted IMU and GNSS receiver in an urban environment shows the effectiveness of the approach to increase accuracy, consistency, and integrity of the estimate in non-redundant estimation with position measurements subject to time-varying bias.