Russia Turns to Drones to Protect Sakhalin’s Ecosystems

Unmanned aerial vehicles are helping monitor rivers, forests, and air quality—and Sakhalin is ready to share its expertise with other regions.

The Russian island of Sakhalin is taking environmental protection to new heights—literally. The region is using drones and robotic boats to conduct wide-ranging ecological monitoring, from mapping illegal dumping sites to tracking marine wildlife populations.

At a recent technology forum, local officials showcased how drones can detect pollution, monitor riverbeds even in murky waters, and map areas in need of cleanup. More than 600 illegal dumps have already been identified and eliminated thanks to the airborne tech, which has proven especially valuable in areas inaccessible to human inspection.

Sakhalin has cataloged 75 specific drone applications in ecological surveillance, including forest protection, air quality tracking, and marine monitoring. Officials from other Russian regions—including Khanty-Mansi, Yamalo-Nenets, and Arkhangelsk—attended the event and expressed plans to adopt similar technologies in their own territories.

With drones as their new front-line defenders, Russian regions are leveraging digital tools to safeguard their natural environments.