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This is chapter 6 of the State of Environmental Science in Svalbard (SESS) report 2022. Uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, have become an established tool for a wide range of scientific applications. Today, UAVs are used for example for mapping geomorphic features, glaciers, and heritage sites, counting reindeer, atmospheric measurements, sea ice monitoring and in many other ways. However, the technology is still relatively new and there is a substantial untapped potential for using UAVs for scientific goals. This report’s main focus is to highlight practical issues related to planning and conducting fieldwork in Svalbard, as well as storing and sharing drone-based datasets. One of the key challenges in the field is related to a lack of standardised data storage and metadata requirements. This means that many datasets are not adequately described and/or archived so they are publicly available This means that drone-based data can often not be reused, for example for long-term monitoring studies. The practical recommendations about planning and conducting fieldwork with UAVs in Svalbard is intended to help and guide scientists to become more successful in conducting drone missions. Svalbard has several special challenges related to its remoteness, high latitude, and fauna. Recommendations are given on how SIOS can strengthen and expand scientific drone applications in Svalbard. The recommendations are intended to make it easier to conduct more complex missions in Svalbard and to train and fund new users. Furthermore, it is recommended to create a forum for scientists to discuss drone-related issues, e.g. to develop community standards for data.

This is chapter 3 of the State of Environmental Science in Svalbard (SESS) report 2020 (https://sios-svalbard.org/SESS_Issue3). The polar regions are among the most sensitive areas of the Earth and changes in the Arctic have global consequences. Therefore, more and better Arctic research is needed, and unmanned vehicles are an important tool in this research. This report provides a review of research conducted with unmanned vehicles in Svalbard. That includes vehicles that travel in air, on water and underwater. The main focus is on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). UAVs are well-suited for Arctic research for several reasons. The Arctic regions lack high vegetation and big settlements, making them ideal for aerial observations. UAVs can access glaciers, mountains, and other difficult areas. They are cheaper and have a lower environmental impact than manned flights. Svalbard has an international research infrastructure and frequent flight connections, making it a hotspot for Arctic research. However, there are several challenges to the use of unmanned vehicles in the Arctic. These include magnetic interference, low temperatures, harsh weather conditions, and wildlife. Most optical sensors cannot be used during the dark season between October and February. This review shows that the researchers using unmanned vehicles in Svalbard can be divided into two groups: basic and advanced users. The majority of researchers today are basic users. They use off-the-shelf UAVs to enhance their fieldwork. The most common application is mapping. A minority of the researchers are advanced users. This group includes users of unmanned marine vehicles and fixed-wing UAVs.

The melting and retreat of Arctic glaciers are prime consequences of climate change in the European Arctic, Spitsbergen. The coastal seascapes are freeing from glacials at a rate of 500 m per year, whereas the duration of coastal ice has decreased from 7–9 to 2–3 months in the late winter. Deglaciation of Spitsbergen causes the formation of new habitats not previously accessible. There were observed changes in increased biomass and biodiversity, as well as sublittoral communities moving towards shallower waters, where ice scouring was a limiting factor. Yet, enhanced melting and retreat of the glaciers cause intensive sedimentation of mineral matter and freshwater inflow into the fjords. As a result, macrophyte expansion lowers as a euphotic zone decreases and larger sedimentation rates favor suspension-feeding over depositfeeding organisms. The aim of this study was to compare the structure of benthic communities of upper sublittoral near the retreating glaciers with ice-free areas. An underwater video survey was carried out during 2018–2019 summer months in four bays: Adriabuka and Burgerbukta in Hornsund, and Gipsvika and Borebukta in Isfjorden. In total, 2.8 h of video material were collected using a remotely operated vehicle and a “drop-down” video camera from the polar yacht Magnus Zaremba and RV Oceania. Video footage was transformed into 148 video mosaics that were used for visual analysis. Overall, 43 biological features were identified to the lowest possible taxonomic level. The results showed that benthic communities near the glacial mainly consist of mobile fauna and tube dwellers with relatively low diversity, whereas in ice-free areas communities are more diverse and consist of mobile, sessile, and burrowing benthos. Underwater imagery proved to be a reliable method for the characterization of benthic communities in the upper sublittoral, where access for large research vessels is limited due to floating ice and steep slopes.