A shark-spotting drone will take to the sky over Kiama beaches on Thursday, as part of a three-month NSW government trial.
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The drone, operated by a private contractor, will fly from the Kiama blowhole south to Kaleula Head for one hour in the morning every Thursday, Friday and Sunday until mid-December.
The flight path means it will cover Surf and Kendalls beaches.
Fitted with an on-board camera, the drone will provide real-time vision as it navigates a 3.5km to 4km circuit over the ocean at a height of 60 metres and a speed of 40km/h.
Beach authorities will be alerted and a siren sounded if a shark is spotted close to people, with the information made available via the SharkSmart App and Twitter.
The trial is part of the government’s $16 million Shark Management Strategy.