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Australia Boosts Shark-Spotting Drone Coverage at Sydney Beaches
The $34 million expansion will lift year-round drone coverage to about 70 beaches and add trials of artificial intelligence for shark detection.
- On Sunday, New South Wales Premier Chris Minns announced a $34 million investment to expand year-round drone surveillance to 38 Sydney beaches, starting July 1.
- Mounting pressure to improve beach safety followed high-profile attacks, including the severe mauling of 34-year-old teacher Leah Stewart at Coogee Beach this month.
- Surf Life Saving NSW will manage operations, including trialing artificial intelligence systems to automate detection. CEO Steve Pearce said the program is an "extremely effective component" that prevented over 2000 sharks from interacting with swimmers this year.
- Premier Chris Minns ruled out culling protected great white sharks, though he is considering an audit of bull shark numbers in Sydney Harbour. "We know people love getting out to our beaches, and they should feel confident doing it," Minns said.
- Across the state, about 70 beaches will benefit from daily year-round drone monitoring. While officials view drones as a vital safety tool, they acknowledge limitations including weather conditions and visibility constraints.
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources20
Leaning Left10Leaning Right3Center5Last UpdatedBias Distribution55% Left
Bias Distribution
- 55% of the sources lean Left
55% Left
L 55%
C 28%
R 17%
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