Drones could soon be flying in the skies above Sutherland Shire in the search for noxious weeds.
The idea has been floated by councillor Kevin Schreiber who asked the council to look at the cost of using drones — or unmanned aerial vehicles — in its own weed-fighting problem.
If it goes ahead, Sutherland Shire would be the first metropolitan council in Sydney to use drones.
Cr Schreiber saw the drones trialled at a recent meeting of the NSW Noxious Weeds Committee at Armidale.
He said drones were used by councils in the New England region in the search for noxious weeds.
‘It’s working very well in New England and Central West,’’ he said.
‘‘They take photos over vast areas and then come back and load the images onto a computer and know exactly where the weeds are and what they are fighting.
‘‘Our staff do a great job fighting weeds. This sort of technology will help them get of top of it.
‘‘They could help with the problems we have with bitou bush at Kurnell.
‘‘With all the weeds along our foreshores, down along Botany Bay, in the mangroves behind the Sharks, we would be able to take pictures of these areas and find what is in there.
‘‘At Bundeena and Maianbar abutting the national park, we can use drones to stop the spread of noxious weeds into the park and look after our wetlands and sporting fields.
‘‘Drones can hover at any height. They have been approved by airport authorities.
‘‘It is something we have got to look at. The cost is not great, about $1500, and they would be cost effective because we would be saving time and be able to get to the seat of the problem quickly.
‘‘These things are absolutely sensational. Seeing them in field exercises really shows how effective they are. It is ground-breaking technology to be used in a metropolitan region.’’
A report on the feasibility of using drones in the shire is expected before the council in a couple of months.
See more in the Leader.
What do you think of the idea of using drones in Sutherland Shire to search for noxious weeds?
