Drones to test bird surveys at Tomales Bay

This year, waterfowl migrating to their winter feeding grounds in Tomales Bay will be tracked by Ravens and T-Hawks, two types of drones operated by the federal
government.

From next Monday, Dec. 9, through Friday, Dec. 13, scientists from the United States Geological Survey and the Fish and Wildlife Service will operate “unmanned aircraft systems”—the government’s preferred term—over Tomales Bay to study the ideal height for bird counts. 

In previous years, pilots documented waterbirds each…