Do Drones Disturb Whale Sharks? New Study Offers Surprising Answer.

InnovationScienceDo Drones Disturb Whale Sharks? New Study Offers Surprising Answer.ByMelissa Cristina Márquez,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Márquez is a marine scientist and science communicatorFollow AuthorMay 09, 2026, 08:30am EDTShale sharks swimming at the surface of the ocean in Western Australia off Ningaloo Reef.Getty ImagesThe world’s largest fish moves slowly, almost as if it knows the ocean bends around it. A cluster of underwater stars, slicing through the azure waters, unbothered by what is happening around it (unless that “something” is a literal bite to eat). Due to their beatiful, distinctive spotted pattern and gentle nature, these animals draw researchers and tourists alike in droves to places like Ningaloo Reef off Western Australia, all hoping for a glimpse of a constellation gliding beneath the surface. But increasingly, the eyes watching them are not human. They are mechanical, hovering quietly overhead.Drones have changed the way we study marine life, offering an on-par bird’s-eye view of the ocean without the noise or intrusion of boats or people. For scientists, that means better data on population size, movement patterns, and even body condition. But there has always been a lingering concern with this type of technology: if we are watching animals more closely than ever, are we also changing the very behaviours we are trying to understand? As drones become more common in wildlife research, scientists are being pushed to examine not just what they can learn, but how their tools might be influencing the animals themselves. That is what a new study led by researchers at Murdoch University hoped to answer when it came to the iconic whale sharks, as previous work has shown that some marine species, including dolphins and seabirds, can react to drones. But the problem is that most of those responses have been measured by observation alone, which can be subjective.So how do you remove that bias?...