As coastal communities in the US and Australia invest heavily in shark-spotting drones, concerns are growing about the potential impact on public safety and the economy. While these high-tech surveillance systems can detect sharks with increasing accuracy, experts warn that their effectiveness may be exaggerated, leading to unnecessary beach closures and a decline in tourism.
New York State has committed substantial funds to this initiative, allocating GBP 790,000 (US$1 million) in 2023 for additional drones and staff training. The state's Governor Kathy Hochul also announced an extra GBP 254,000 (US$322,000) for acquiring 16 more drones for shark surveillance this year. Meanwhile, the New South Wales government in Australia has unveiled a GBP 26.8 million (AU$34 million) programme to expand its shark monitoring efforts.
However, despite the heightened surveillance, scientific data suggests that the threat from sharks to swimmers remains extremely low. The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution estimates the odds of a shark bite at one in 4.3 million. In 2025, the Florida Museum of Natural History reported just 65 unprovoked shark bites globally, below the most recent 10-year average of 72. Experts, such as Greg Skomal, a senior fisheries scientist in Massachusetts, suggest that while the number of sharks may not have increased, the "fear factor" certainly has.
The concern among some scientists is that an apparent increase in sightings, driven by more drones, could create a vicious cycle. Governments might receive more reports, leading to further drone purchases, which in turn spot even more sharks. This cycle could incite irrational reactions from both officials and beachgoers, potentially leading to unnecessary beach closures or a decline in tourism. Chris Lowe, director of the Shark Lab at California State University, Long Beach, highlights that while drones are effective at spotting sharks on the surface in clear conditions, their utility diminishes significantly in poor visibility, where a shark just a few feet below the surface can be missed.
Lowe's lab, which also tags sharks and uses acoustic receivers to track their movements, shares data with local authorities but stresses that this is a scientific tool, not an early warning system. He warns that solely relying on surveillance to pull people from the water could be unnecessary and carry economic repercussions if people avoid beaches due to perceived heightened risk. His team has conducted thousands of drone flights without observing any footage of sharks acting aggressively towards people, underscoring the need for a balanced approach that considers both public safety and the economic well-being of coastal communities.