Comparing Two Models of UAVs (drones) as a Monitoring Tool for Freshwater Turtles

Nowadays, drone models are becoming more and more diverse with many different shapes and features. Some of them are more compact in shape, others are more stable in flight and with different camera qualities. In our study, we compare two drone models – “Phantom4 Pro + v2.0” and “Mavic Pro Platinum” as a monitoring tool for freshwater turtles. Total flight covered area is approximately 114 decares (11.4 ha) above two rivers in Strandzha Mts. - Veleka River and Silistar River. The current study has shown that “Phantom 4 Pro + v2.0” is very suitable for wide rivers, where there are no overhanging trees over the riverbed and “Mavic Pro Platinum” is more suitable for narrow riverbeds with overhanging crowns of trees above them.