360º video makes a splash in marine research

360º video makes a splash in marine research

New video technology revolutionises marine research in Auckland

New Zealand, 21 July 2016: Auckland Whale & Dolphin Safari are riding the wave of new technology as they utilise Samsung Gear 360 products to capture 360° footage of marine mammals in their natural environment.

This new video technology has the potential to revolutionise marine research in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf Marine Park, while also providing whale watchers and dolphin enthusiasts with an incomparable opportunity to virtually take the journey out to sea.

Auckland Whale & Dolphin Safari has been operating daily excursions out of Auckland for 15 years, and their vessel the Dolphin Explorer is the primary research platform in Auckland.

Mr Andy Light, captain of the Dolphin Explorer, has been testing out the new technology since it was released a few weeks ago, and he is very excited about the opportunities that it presents both for marine research and tourism – not only in Auckland, but New Zealand-wide.

“Previously, we have only been able to identify and document the behaviour of these animals through still or video photography, where it seems no matter which way you point the camera, you can never get the full picture. The ability to capture an environment in 360 at the control of a smartphone completely revolutionises the way that data about these animals can be collected.”

As a small company operating in a small country, awareness has been an ongoing concern. Passengers fund Auckland Whale & Dolphin Safari’s research – and now, with this incredible new video content able to be created regularly, the organisation has the potential to reach a much broader audience of potential future passengers. Mr Light describes this new development as “game changing for us”.

The company is already equipped with a DJI Phantom 2 Vision Plus drone and an OpenROV underwater camera, which they use whenever conditions permit. But the new evolution in their technology came about during ATEED’s Tech Week MAGNIFY VR event.

Mr Light elaborates: “I was blown away just by what they had at demo stage. Once I saw how accessible the 360 camera was, I thought, ‘Why can’t we do that?’. I even took the headset into our local after work the other night – everyone wanted a turn!”

Now Auckland Whale & Dolphin Safari are thrilled to be able to capture more footage and research data than ever before. The Hauraki Gulf Marine Park is an incredibly diverse environment, and is home to both resident and migratory whales and dolphins all year round, including the nationally critically threatened orca (killer whale), Bryde’s whale, and the endangered bottlenose dolphin.

The data that can be collected with the Gear 360 will feed into research that will ultimately benefit and protect the animals themselves, ensuring that Auckland Whale & Dolphin Safari live up to their mission statement: The Preservation of Species and Environment through Research, Education and Awareness.

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