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

A study off Western Australia’s Ningaloo Reef found drones did not noticeably change whale shark movement or swimming behavior.

Researchers tagged 13 whale sharks with motion sensors and flew drones at different heights to compare responses with baseline data.

The sharks showed no clear change in swimming effort, tail-beat frequency, or diving behavior.

The results suggest drones may be a low-disturbance tool for studying whale sharks, though effects could vary by species or context.