The cage of the drone then collects samples using a sticky surface comprised of “adhesive tape and a cotton gauze humidified with a solution of water and DNA-free sugar.” The cage spends about 10 seconds leaning on each branch, collecting eDNA, before zooming back to the base, where the samples are collected and sent to a lab. The drone used in the experiment successfully gathered enough genetic material to identify 21 different animal types, ranging from insects and mammals to birds and amphibians.
