Shark-spotting drones to be deployed at Australian beaches
The first phase of a plan to make Australian waters safer and reduce shark risk at our beaches is being rolled out in one state. Learn how sharks can be spotted early and how lives can be saved
READING LEVEL: ORANGE
Shark-spotting drones will be deployed to unpatrolled surfing spots in one Australian state, while 200 “bite kits” will be sent to regional beaches, under a $2.5 million state government plan.
The program’s sudden announcement has been sparked after two recent fatalities in New South Wales, after a surfer died following a shark attack at Dee Why and a backpacker died after a suspected bull shark struck near Port Macquarie.
These two deaths are the state’s highest equal annual fatality rate from sharks since three people lost their lives to the animals back in 1955.
As part of the new shark package, drone operators will begin working a week earlier while patrols will also be extended to beyond the usual end of January.
The NSW state government will also partner with Surfing NSW to offer drone training to boardrider clubs between Newcastle and Wollongong while the SharkSmart* van will travel up and down the coast over summer to answer community questions.
The initiatives follows the death of Dee Why husband and father Mercury Psillakis in September and Swiss tourist Livia Mühlheim, 25, who died after being bitten by a suspected bull shark at a remote NSW beach.
Ms Muhlheim’s boyfriend Lukas Schindler, 26, was also injured but was saved by a bystander creating a makeshift tourniquet* as they waited for help.
Mercury’s wife Maria and his twin brother Michael have been advocating for greater shark mitigation* since the tragedy, meeting with Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty and representatives from Surfing NSW and Surf Life Saving NSW last week.
The group discussed increasing surfer protection as part of “Mercury’s legacy”.
While surf lifesavers have access to 50 drones, these are used at more regional beaches.
The funding will pay for additional drones to go to Surfing NSW, which will work with its boardriding clubs to patrol the more remote corners of beaches between Newcastle and Wollongong.
“Drones have shown to continually be our eye in the sky when it comes to early shark detection warning systems, and this enhancement package is an important step forward in utilising and expanding their potential,” Ms Moriarty said. “I met the Psillakis family recently. Expediting* the rollout of drones and training to Surfing NSW and their boardrider clubs is a significant contribution to honouring his legacy.”
Surfing NSW CEO Lucas Townsend said the recent attacks had unnerved the surfing community.
The funding will pay for 150 additional medical emergency “bite kits” created by Hastings man Danny Schouten to be rolled out to remote beaches.
Mr Schouten created the kits after his mate Kai McKenzie was attacked by a shark at Port Macquarie in 2024.
“Our regional delegates* had their annual general meeting last week and shark mitigation was the number one concern,” he said. “This support helps builds the capacity for surfing to keep its own community safe at the beach. If we have better surveillance, everyone in the community benefits.”
Mr Schouten said the expansion of his bite kits would ensure swimmers and surfers in remote areas had access to first aid as fast as possible.
“We were lucky on the beach that day with Kai, and I thank the government for helping ensure other people have all the resources available to them when they head out for a surf, too,” he said.
Existing drone patrols operated by Surf Life Saving NSW will begin with 30 beaches on December 13, increasing to 50 by December 20.
Last summer, 50 drones flew from Tweed to Bega, completing 18,027 flights over 4897 flying hours.
Local independent MP for Wakehurst Michael Regan, who has been speaking with Ms Psillakis and Michael about their ideas, said he was grateful the family could share their grief, concerns “and solutions” with Ms Moriarty.
Bo Sutcliffe, whose 16-year-old son Barclay was enjoying the waves at Queenscliff during a recent junior competition, said he welcomed the package given surfers had been on edge lately.
“It’s not foolproof, we get that, but we do need another layer of safety,” he said. “We’re trying not to scare kids where they don’t want to go out into the water.”
WHAT ABOUT OTHER STATES?
Drones are also in use in other locations around Australia that have also had shark fatalities in the past five years.
QLD is currently using drones at 10 beaches as part of its shark mitigation strategy, including those at popular tourist destinations like the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast.
According to a government press release in May, the Sunshine State was adding a further six drone locations in time for the 2025-2026 summer season.
South Australia is currently using shark surveillance aircraft from November to June after extending the length of the season in response to recent attacks. The fixed wing aircraft is fitted with a siren that sounds when a shark is spotted in the water where people are swimming.
Drone surveillance is used in Western Australia as one of many measures aimed to keep people as safe as possible from shark attacks.
POLL
GLOSSARY
- SharkSmart: a NSW government program that runs shark mitigation measures
- tourniquet: a device wrapped tightly around a limb to stop or reduce heavy bleeding
- mitigation: strategies and technologies designed to reduce the risk of shark attacks
- expediting: make something happen quicker than expected
- delegates: representatives
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QUICK QUIZ
1. Which states use drone shark surveillance?
2. What led to the creation of Danny Schouten’s bite kits?
3. How many NSW beaches will have drone patrols by December 20?
4. How many beaches currently have drone patrols in Queensland?
5. How was the life of Swiss tourist Lukas Schindler saved after being bitten by a bull shark?
LISTEN TO THIS STORY
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Drone surveillance
Apart from spotting sharks, how else could drones be used to improve overall safety at the beach for swimmers, surfers and surf lifesavers?
Could the drones be modified to be used for other purposes or emergencies that might happen at the beach?
Sketch a specialised surf life-saving drone that could be used on Australian beaches with extra modifications than a normal drone.
Time: allow 15 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Science, Design and Technologies, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative thinking
2. Extension
What do you think these new shark-bite kits could be called to honour the people and families who have recently died from shark attacks?
Time: allow 10 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking
VCOP ACTIVITY
Read this!
A headline on an article – or a title on your text – should capture the attention of the audience, telling them to read this now. So choosing the perfect words for a headline or title is very important.
Create three new headlines for the events that took place in this article. Remember, what you write and how you write it will set the pace for the whole text, so make sure it matches.
Read out your headlines to a partner and discuss what the article will be about based on the headline you created. Discuss the tone and mood you set in just your few, short words. Does it do the article justice? Will it capture the audience’s attention the way you hoped? Would you want to read more?
Consider how a headline or title is similar to using short, sharp sentences throughout your text. They can be just as important as complex ones. Go through the last text you wrote and highlight any short, sharp sentences that capture the audience.