Global nonprofit Island Conservation announced an official partnership with Envico Technologies to adapt, modify and perfect drone models used in island restoration projects.

Island Conservation prevents extinctions by removing invasive species located on remote islands that frequently comprise impassable foliage, prohibitive weather and treacherous terrain. These physical limitations present significant challenges to conservation efforts, including restricting the distribution of bait, collecting data, as well as locating and tracking invasive species. Island Conservation has pioneered the use of drone technology alongside Envico since 2019, and a new formal partnership promises to scale these advances and widen their application for global conservation efforts.

Cutting-edge, heavy-lift drone platforms have proven to be extremely efficient tools for remote island conservation baiting campaigns. Through implementation on Island Conservation projects in Palau and French Polynesia, Envico aims to prove the field-readiness of this novel technology and pave the way for future uses by other agencies, supporting the “democratization” of drones as a conservation tool.