The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari islands innovates to educate with ‘Eye in the sky’ conservation technology project

Guests at The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, engage in real science and exploration, whilst supporting a major image collection project underpinning key research in the Indian Ocean. 

• Initiative launched in 2022 works collaboratively with leading scientists and marine technologists in a sophisticated ocean plastics’ monitoring programme to conserve some of the world’s most fragile natural environments using drone technology. 
• Progressive research community incorporates Dr Melissa Duncan-Schiele, Dr Luca Fallati,  MaRHE and Oceans Unmanned. 
• Follows introduction of first Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ambassadors of the Environment program to the Indian Ocean in 2021. 

Photo credits: Guests at The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands

The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands is home to the first resort-based conservation technology project using drones in the Maldives. Launched in 2022 ‘Eye in the Sky’ (Udumathin Ioa), the unique partnership with leading scientists and marine technologists plays an integral role in a government-approved research programme to develop drone methods to search for, and quantify ocean plastics in the Maldives.  

This progressive research community supports a major image collection and data processing project to monitor ocean pollution of plastics and map habitat health in the Indian Ocean, and a  first in the Maldives, allows guests to engage in the science, exploration and hands-on process of data collection using conservation technology. The team’s wider monitoring includes identification of discarded fishing nets (ghost nets) which are causing an increased threat to wildlife from entanglement. Any nets or large pieces of debris identified by the drones will subsequently be targeted for removal. 

Dr Melissa Duncan-Schiele, an engineer focussed on fixed-wing water landing drone operations in the Global South for applications in marine sciences, built a team of scientists and commercially trained drone pilots, to create a unique community of conservation experts from across the globe.  The team, including Dr Luca Fallati of MaRHE, (the Marine Research and Higher Education Centre and part of the University of Milano Bicocca), use multirotor drones donated by The Ritz Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, and a water-landing fixed-wing drone donated by USA-based NGO Oceans Unmanned.  

Photo credits: Guests at The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands

Image sampling occurs over the ocean and reefs at select locations and times which ensures temporal and spatial resolution for the researchers, and also strictly ensures privacy for guests.  After images are collected, they are processed and analysed for debris and the resulting data can then feed into a greater understanding of the distribution and densities of plastics in the Maldives over time. 

Through The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands’ Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ambassadors of the Environment program guests have the opportunity to join the research team in their groundbreaking work. The journey will start at the resort, where with professional drone simulation training software, guests will explore the latest scientific research with naturalists, while testing their piloting skills. Stepping out into the field, guests will navigate the ocean through drones piloted by the team, in search for ghost nets while experiencing the precious wildlife, endemic to the Maldives’ fragile coral reefs.  

To support the environmental research and wildlife protection programme, the resort and community is set to create a meaningful and inclusive legacy for the Maldivian community. The research initiative will offer a unique platform for local children to visit and learn of the emerging importance of marine technology, including drones and hydrophones in monitoring marine life.  Key fieldwork will be held at MaRHE, one of the project’s academic partner facilities in the  neighboring Faafu Atoll, and who hosts world-class university-level education for local and international marine biology and environmental science students. Maldivian marine scientists will be integral to the ongoing evolution of the programme. 

The methods developed at The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands and MaRHE are set to be introduced around the country, to create a network of dedicated drone operators. A sustained plastics monitoring programme will build a baseline for the dynamics of pollution, with the aim to support policy and legislation change at local, national and international levels.  

For more information on The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands visit  ritzcarlton.com/Maldives