CODEX developed a step-by-step best practices framework for collecting and processing drone-based imagery to produce morphological measurements of marine mammals with associated photogrammetric uncertainty. Our framework covers 1) Data collection (before takeoff and during flight), 2) Post-processing of imagery (image selection, measuring, linking metadata with measurements, and incorporating uncertainty), and 3) Morphometric analysis (incorporating measurement uncertainty from different drones into analyses). Our framework integrates several published open-source hardware and software tools, including automated tools, providing a centralized reference to help researchers enhance the quality, speed, and accuracy of obtaining important morphological measurements to manage vulnerable populations.

Check out the various open-source hardware and software tools developed by CODEX.