Ethical considerations related to drone use for environment and health research: a scoping review

The use of drone technology in public health research is a relatively recent development, enabled by the commercialization of drones in the 21st century. One of the main applications is remote sensing, which does not require direct human contact but can still raise ethical concerns within local communities. Existing ethical guidance is often broad and not specific to drone use, leading to varying practices across research settings. There is a need to synthesise current evidence on ethical practices and understand how drone research is perceived by local communities, in order to identify best practices and address any outstanding ethical concerns.

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