Studying Orcas with the Wave Glider SV3

            Orcas, more commonly known as killer whales, are some of the most intelligent and mysterious creatures in the ocean. Orcas are a very culture-oriented species, with different pods developing different preferences for food, different migratory patterns, and even different dialects (Stiffler, 2011). In fact, when it comes to language, orcas may be as sophisticated as humans (Crawford, 2013). Some scientists have devoted their entire lives to cracking the code of the orca language and learning how to speak to these animals, but to no avail. Where humans have failed, however, drones may succeed, especially one drone in particular: the Wave Glider SV3 by liquid robotics.

The Wave Glider is a fully autonomous surface unmanned maritime vehicle (UMV) that has achieved record-breaking feats of autonomous sailing (Coxworth, 2012). Highly modular, it can be fitted with a variety of devices for observation and research. It can also be fitted with recording devices capable of recording the sounds made by killer whales when they communicate. This data, gathered over long periods of time, may give researchers the key they need to finally understand what orcas are saying to each other.

But how would such a research plan be implemented? And how would it deal with four key issues of drone use, namely privacy, ethics, safety, and loss of link/loss of system control?

Step one, in my opinion, is to introduce the Wave Glider into waters near the orca pod it is directed to follow. The drone needs to be close enough to the pod to record both video and audio and to allow the whales to become accustomed to its presence, but far enough away to not be considered a threat. This keeping of distance would preserve the whales’ privacy, which is key to keeping the drone operational. If the orcas perceive the Wave Glider as a threat, the drone will literally be dead in the water.

Step two is to follow the designated pod. This would present the most difficult challenge, as killer whales travel much faster than the Wave Glider. The best solution here may be to leave the UMV in the whales’ territory, knowing that they will come back.

Step three is to record and transmit as much audio and video data as possible. Linking visuals to sound is key to interpreting what the whales are saying, and the more data is gathered, the better.

It’s a simple plan, but I think it can work, once the other aspects of drone use are taken into consideration.

We’ve already covered privacy; the Wave Glider needs to respect the privacy of the whales, or risk being upended and torn apart. What about ethics, however? Is it ethical to spy on these animals (which some believe have the intelligence of humans) to try and decipher their language?

I believe the answer is yes, as long as that knowledge is put to ethical use. If we ever gain the ability to communicate with killer whales, we can use that ability to guide them out of potentially dangerous or overfished waters and to a location more suitable for the pod.

Safety plays a big part in this project as well, with the safety of the whales and other marine life being paramount. Again, if the whales regard the Wave Glider as a threat, they may smash into it to damage it and hurt themselves in the process. This is where gradual introduction of the Wave Glider in the orcas’ environment is crucial. I know from experience that orcas will tolerate small boats within a few hundred yards of their location, because I did a kayak whale-watching tour in 2014 and watched them do exactly that. The key: the whales were used to seeing the kayaks, and knew that they weren’t threats.

Loss of link/loss of system control is the final consideration, and an important one. Losing connection to the drone would negate the value of the experiment. Loss of system control may mean the drone wandering out of the whales’ territory, or worse – getting too close to the whales and getting demolished in the process. This can only be mitigated by periodic human monitoring and blind luck. Having a human repair and retrieval team on standby would negate the efficacy and cost savings of the experiment; if a human crew can be in the water watching the drone, it can also be in the water watching the whales themselves. Periodic monitoring, however, would identify problems within a reasonable amount of time and give a response team the chance to go to the drone and correct the issue. Ultimately, though, being problem-free will come down to preparation and luck. Prepare the drone for the mission as best as possible, then trust luck to take it the rest of the way.

Killer whales talk, but no one knows what they’re saying. The Wave Glider SV3 can help change that.

References

Coxworth, B. (2012). Wave Glider aquatic robots set world record. Retrieved from

     

     https://newatlas.com/wave-gliders-set-record/21840/

Crawford, L. (2013). Killer whales are non-human persons. Retrieved from

         

     http://greymattersjournal.com/killer-whales-are-non-human-persons/

Stiffler, L. (2011). Understanding orca culture. Retrieved from

     

     https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/understanding-orca-culture-12494696/