Sanctuary System Staff in California Take Flight With Drone Training

By Rachel Plunkett

September 24, 2026

Five staff members from four national marine sanctuaries in California recently completed drone pilot and field training in Monterey, expanding the region's ability to use aerial technology for research, emergency response, and outreach.

two people in hard hats and life jackets on a boat. One stands near the stern and reaches their arms up overhead to catch a small flying aircraft with four rotary wings.
Permit Coordinator Kacy Cooper from Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary hand-catches a drone on the R/V Tegula in Monterey Bay during uncrewed aerial systems training. Photo: Roland Brian/NOAA

Staff from Monterey Bay, Chumash Heritage, Channel Islands, and Greater Farallones national marine sanctuaries participated in the August training led by instructors from NOAA's Uncrewed Systems Operations Center. Before attending, all five participants completed Federal Aviation Administration Part 107 certification and NOAA's required online training for uncrewed aircraft systems.

During the three-day course, participants practiced flight operations on land and learned techniques for launching and recovering drones from vessels. Maritime exercises aboard the R/V Tegula included hand-launching and catching the aircraft—skills that can be especially useful when operating from a moving vessel with limited deck space.

The training expands how national marine sanctuaries on the West Coast can use drones to support their work. Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary plans to use the technology for regular kelp canopy surveys, while trained staff across the region may also deploy drones to document incidents such as ship groundings and oil spills or collect aerial imagery for education and outreach.

a woman in a noaa hat stands next to a man in a yellow vest while watching a drone with four rotary wings fly roughly 10 feet in the air above a small landing pad
Monisha Sugla, a research ecologist at Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, operates a drone at California State University, Monterey Bay while the instructor Roland Brian guides. Photo: Chad King/NOAA

The participating sanctuaries are also forming a regional drone working group to coordinate future projects, share expertise, and identify opportunities to use the technology across sanctuary boundaries.

Lisa Uttal is the media coordinator for Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary

Rachel Plunkett is the content manager and senior writer/editor for NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries