Shark-spotting drones are about reassurance – not full protection

Tragic shark attacks in Sydney heightened fears among coastal New South Wales residents, leading public figures to call for shark culls.
The NSW government chose not to cull great white sharks (a protected species), but is considering cuing bull sharks and instead announced $A34 million in funding to expand its shark-spotting drone program.
The new program will implement daily drone surveillance at around 70 beaches, including all Sydney beaches and each coastal council’s beach, as part of a broader shark safety initiative.
While drones improve the likelihood of shark detection, there’s no evidence that this reduction in shark bites.
Drowning, particularly from rip currents, poses a more significant threat than shark bites; however, less investment is made towards mitigating this risk.
The scalability and effectiveness of expanding drone surveillance on beaches remain unproven, and there’s potential for more beach closures and unintended consequences for coastal economies.
The true life-saving potential of the drones might lie in their use for locating people in distress, such as those caught in rip currents or missing persons, rather than just for shark detection.