Data Imaging Acquisition and Processing as a Methodology for Estimating the Population of Frigates Using UAVs

In the last decades many seabirds populations had suffered decreasing in their numbers, sometimes unnoticed. Monitoring activities are a key factor in order to achieve a proper management adapted to the reality of the ecosystem. In our study we analyses the imagery data collected through unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in order to count the individuals of a frigate bird Fregata magnificens colony in Manglares del Morro wilderness refugee (Ecuador). Nonetheless, the actual total number of individuals is unknown. Due to this scenario, an unmanned aerial vehicle model X8+ has been used to capture images above the colony, to make a partial geolocalized mosaic of the island through the processing of the data obtained in the flight, that will allow, by means of computer vision algorithms to estimate the population of the species.