Chris Minns Announces Year-Round Shark-Spotting Drone Technology for NSW Beaches
Shark-spotting drone technology will be deployed year-round under a state government investment, described as the largest expansion of aerial shark surveillance globally.
On Sunday, the New South Wales state government announced an additional $34 million investment in drones, incorporating artificial intelligence, to enhance coverage across Sydney beaches and the state’s coastline.
Approximately 70 beaches will be monitored 365 days a year, focusing on locations with high visitor numbers and where shark incidents have increased.
This expanded surveillance will commence on 1 July and will include year-round coverage across all Sydney beaches, increasing monitored sites from 26 to 38. Additionally, two SharkSmart listening stations will be installed in Sydney Harbour to alert swimmers to the presence of tagged sharks.
Premier Chris Minns stated that the public should
"feel confident"when visiting the state’s beaches.
"While no one can ever promise no shark interactions, this investment is about putting more eyes in the sky so we can spot sharks earlier and give people a clear heads-up when they’re in the water. More drones in the air means we’re getting a better picture of what’s happening offshore and it means we’ll get better at seeing them."
Welcome to Sunday 28 June
This is Caitlin Cassidy reporting on Sunday morning, highlighting a significant scale-up in shark-spotting drone technology by the New South Wales state government amid growing concerns over shark activity in Australia.
Premier Chris Minns recently appeared on to promote the program, which follows a shark incident at Sydney’s popular Coogee Beach.
