The skies of Skagit, Snohomish, and Whatcom counties are set to become testing grounds for a new technological approach in wildlife monitoring as the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) introduces drones to survey populations of swans and geese. This move, stretching from this October until December 2026, brings WDFW staff, who hold FAA Small Unmanned Aircraft System Remote Pilot certifications, to pilot these drones while adhering to both federal and departmental regulations. The primary aim is to capture detailed imagery of the waterfowl to improve the WDFW’s capacity for tracking bird numbers, identifying age classes, and collecting other relevant data, according to a statement released by the department.