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For the thousands of Sydneysiders who head for the ocean year-round (guilty), we’ve got reassuring news: shark-spotting drones will soon be watching over every ocean beach from Palm Beach to Cronulla, 365 days a year. From July 1, the NSW Government is expanding its aerial shark surveillance program, increasing year-round drone coverage across Sydney from 26 beaches to all 38 ocean beaches. It's part of a $120 million Shark Mitigation Program, which the government says will become the world's largest aerial shark surveillance initiative. Off the back of so many tragedies in Sydney’s waters over recent months, this feels like the update we needed.
The expanded program means Surf Life Saving NSW drones will patrol Sydney beaches from dawn until dusk, with operating hours changing throughout the year to match daylight hours. According to the NSW Government, during the peak summer months, drones will be in the air from as early as 6am until 7.30pm.
In good news for regional communities (and every Sydneysider who loves to escape up and down the coast), the technology isn't just staying in Sydney. Around 70 beaches across NSW will receive year-round drone monitoring, with at least one beach in every coastal local government area covered throughout the year. Additional beaches along the coast will also receive weekend patrols year-round, daily patrols during the warmer months and extra coverage during school holidays.
The announcement comes as shark-spotting technology continues to play an increasingly important role in beach safety. According to Surf Life Saving NSW, its drone program has already detected more than 2,000 sharks near swimmers and surfers this year while completing more than 100,000 surveillance flights.
The next phase of the program will also trial AI systems to help improve shark detection. At least two AI systems will be tested over summer, with the aim of making automated shark identification part of everyday beach operations in the future. Surf Life Saving NSW will also upgrade its remote pilot facilities, paving the way for more autonomous drone flights launched directly from surf clubs and other coastal infrastructure.
Sydney Harbour will also receive an extra layer of protection, with two new SharkSmart listening stations set to alert swimmers when tagged sharks are detected in the area.
While the government acknowledges that no technology can completely eliminate the risk of shark encounters, the expanded program is designed to provide earlier warnings for swimmers, surfers and paddlers before sharks get too close to shore.
So while there's never any guarantee when it comes to sharing the ocean with wildlife, there will soon be a lot more eyes in the sky keeping watch over the coastline of NSW. You can learn more about the state’s shark monitoring program over here.