NSW beaches to get dawn-to-dusk drone patrols in $34m anti-shark program

Shark-spotting drones will fly from dawn to dusk throughout the year at 70 beaches in New South Wales under an expanded monitoring program funded with $34m, the state premier said. The move aims to restore confidence after a series of shark sightings and attacks, including one by a great white on Sydney mother Leah Stewart, who is no longer in a critical condition.

From 1 July the year-round coverage will include all 38 of Sydney’s ocean beaches plus 32 in the rest of the state, with greater monitoring at regional beaches: daily flights from 1 December to 30 April, weekend flights year-round and extended daily hours. Surf Life Saving NSW will run the program, building on existing drone surveillance and a school holiday drone program.

The funding will support trials of new artificial intelligence shark detection systems over summer to help pave the way for automated flights.

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