Drones help researchers protect California's kelp population

Researchers on the coast of California are using drones to help them monitor the number of kelp forests, seaweeds which consume carbon dioxide from the air. Warming waters killing seaweed was cited as one of the reasons why scientists reported fewer kelps in 2019, when less than one acre of kelp canopy was found on the coast. However, an average of 5.5 acres of kelp canopy was identified a year later. Academics believe the drones will help them to identify “kelp strongholds” in the future.