Improving the Efficiency of Marine Debris Collection Policies Using Drone Technology

Kim, J. and Kim, C.W., 2023. Improving the efficiency of marine debris collection policies using drone technology. In: Lee, J.L.; Lee, H.; Min, B.I.; Chang, J.-I.; Cho, G.T.; Yoon, J.-S., and Lee, J. (eds.) Multidisciplinary Approaches to Coastal and Marine Management. Journal of Coastal Research Special Issue No. 116, pp. 353-357. Charlotte (North Carolina), ISSN 0749-0208. As marine debris has emerged as a major environmental issue, attempts to detect marine debris using machine learning in remote sensing are increasing. However, because policy implementers related to marine debris collection are not trained in remote sensing and machine learning, it is difficult to easily use these technologies. Additionally, the analysis process is time-consuming, making immediate debris collection difficult. Therefore, this study attempts to increase the efficiency of the marine debris collection policy by securing both the immediacy of debris detection and intuitive analysis methods. This study composed of (1) drone imaging, (2) mosaicking drone images, (3) segmentation, and (4) classification. The results of the analysis showed that the area where marine debris was distributed was detected with considerable accuracy. The proposed method can easily and effectively detect the distribution of debris through simple object-based detection using drone images. This study suggests a useful method for managing marine debris by ensuring immediacy of debris detection. Also, analysis procedure can be used as a framework for improving the marine environment.