The PhD Project was awarded a generous grant from Sea-Changers, a marine conservation charity, to support our drone-based seal research at the Ythan Estuary. This funding is crucial for providing the on-the-ground assistance needed to ensure safe and effective drone flights, while safeguarding the delicate wildlife of the reserve. It's all the people on the ground who make my research possible. I’m excited to introduce Adam, my latest drone observer intern. Read on to hear his reflections on the role! "The early bird gets the worm, and the sleepy student gets a Greggs’ bacon roll on their way to Newburgh Beach for a sunrise seal survey. At least, that’s what my experience as a drone intern/observer was. With low tides and good flying weather often colliding during the wee hours of the morning, I was fortunate enough to start the day watching the sun spread across the beach, listening to the whimsical wails of the fifteen thousand or so seals that sat across the estuary from ...