Drones are increasingly popular tools for wildlife research, but it is important that the use of these tools does not overshadow reporting of methodological details required for evaluation of study designs. The diversity in drone platforms, sensors, and applications necessitates the reporting of specific details for replication, but there is little guidance available on how to detail drone use in peer-reviewed articles. Here, we present a standardized protocol to assist researchers in reporting of their drone use in wildlife research. The protocol is delivered in six sections: Project Overview; Drone System and Operation Details; Payload, Sensor, and Data Collection; Field Operation Details; Data Post-Processing; and Permits, Regulations, Training, and Logistics. Each section outlines the details that should be included, along with justifications for their inclusion. To facilitate ease of use, we have provided two example protocols, retroactively produced for published drone-based studies by the authors of this protocol. Our hopes are that the current version of this protocol should assist with the communication, dissemination, and adoption of drone technology for wildlife research and management. Published at www.nrcresearchpress.com/juvs on 1 February 2020. J. Unmanned Veh. Sys. Downloaded from www.nrcresearchpress.com by 44.224.250.200 on 07/09/20For personal use only. que les justifications de leur inclusion. Afin de faciliter l'utilisation de protocole, nous avons fourni deux exemples de protocoles produits rétroactivement par les auteurs de ce protocole pour des études publiées sur les drones. Nous espérons que la version actuelle de ce protocole contribuera à la communication, à la diffusion et à l'adoption de la technologie des drones pour la recherche et la gestion de la faune. [Traduit par la Rédaction] Mots-clés : drones, systèmes d'aéronefs sans pilote, véhicules d'aéronefs sans pilote, communication scientifique, télédétection, examen par les pairs. 92 J. Unmanned Veh. Syst. Vol. 8, 2020 Published by NRC Research Press J. Unmanned Veh. Sys. Downloaded from www.nrcresearchpress.com by 44.224.250.200 on 07/09/20For personal use only.

Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) are relatively new technologies gaining popularity among wildlife biologists. As with any new tool in wildlife science, operating protocols must be developed through rigorous protocol testing. Few studies have been conducted that quantify the impacts UAS may have on unhabituated individuals in the wild using standard aerial survey protocols. We evaluated impacts of unmanned surveys by measuring UAS‐induced behavioral responses during the nesting phase of lesser snow geese (Anser caerulescens caerulescens) in Wapusk National Park, Manitoba, Canada. We conducted surveys with a fixed‐wing Trimble UX5 and monitored behavioral changes via discreet surveillance cameras at 25 nests. Days with UAS surveys resulted in decreased resting and increased nest maintenance, low scanning, high scanning, head‐cocking and off‐nest behaviors when compared to days without UAS surveys. In the group of birds flown over, head‐cocking for overhead vigilance was rarely seen prior to launch or after landing (mean estimates 0.03% and 0.02%, respectively) but increased to 0.56% of the time when the aircraft was flying overhead suggesting that birds were able to detect the aircraft during flight. Neither UAS survey altitude nor launch distance alone in this study was strong predictors of nesting behaviors, although our flight altitudes (≥75 m above ground level) were much higher than previously published behavioral studies. Synthesis and applications: The diversity of UAS models makes generalizations on behavioral impacts difficult, and we caution that researchers should design UAS studies with knowledge that some minimal disturbance is likely to occur. We recommend flight designs take potential behavioral impacts into account by increasing survey altitude where data quality requirements permit. Such flight designs should consider a priori knowledge of focal species’ behavioral characteristics. Research is needed to determine whether any such disturbance is a result of visual or auditory stimuli.

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