Case Study: How Ocean Alliance Uses 3D Printing for Drone-Based Whale Tagging

“Whales spend most of their time underwater,” says Dr. Iain Kerr, CEO of Ocean Alliance. “So how do you study a species that's spending two-thirds of its life underwater? We really need to develop new tools and new technologies to sort of dive with the whales into the abyss.”

For over fifteen years, Dr. Kerr’s work involved chasing whales to collect biopsy samples for health assessments—an effective but invasive process. To truly understand how these animals live their daily lives, his team needed a new approach. They found it in a "magical formula" of drones, scientific tools, and the transformative power of 3D printing.

From Biopsy Darts to "Fitbits for Whales"

The goal was to deploy tags that act like a "Fitbit for a whale," collecting crucial data on time, depth, speed, acceleration, and orientation. The challenge? Building a system to attach these tags from a drone—a tool that had never been created before.

“That's where the magic of 3D printing really changed our lives and enabled us to sort of come up with some crazy ideas,” Dr. Kerr explains. “Our UltiMaker 3D printers have really empowered us to think outside the box.”

Using a fleet of printers including an UltiMaker S3 and a MakerBot Method X, the team at Ocean Alliance was able to design, prototype, and build a sophisticated drone-based tagging system from the ground up.

Rapid Prototyping for a Revolution in Research

Chris Zadra, Director of Drone Programs at Ocean Alliance, focuses on developing solutions that make marine mammal research "easier, safer, more efficient, and more affordable." With 3D printing, his team can turn ideas into functional parts in hours, not weeks.

The entire tag deployment system is a testament to this agility. “All these components are 3D printed,” Zadra notes. The design cleverly uses multiple materials for specific functions:

A soft-release holder, printed in flexible TPU, gently holds the tag and releases it upon contact with the whale.

The rest of the system—including release mounts, the motor's drive wheel, and the bracket connecting to the drone—is printed in durable UltiMaker Tough PLA.

This process allows for constant innovation. Dr. Kerr highlights the team's creative freedom: “Could we put a fin on it? Could we put wings on it? Could we make it bigger, shorter?” 3D printing provides immediate answers, enabling the creation of modular systems where different top ends can fit various drones and bottom ends can carry different tags.

Global Impact, One STL at a Time

The success of this approach is staggering. “Tagging over two hundred whales in two years is a number that none of us could have ever imagined we'd have accomplished,” says Zadra.

Beyond their own research, Ocean Alliance is committed to making their solutions accessible to scientists worldwide. The ease of sharing design files is breaking down geographic and financial barriers. “It's really great that it's so easy to send STL files, 3D files to other researchers all across the globe,” Zadra adds.

This combination of accessible technology and visionary science is redefining what’s possible in marine conservation. As Dr. Kerr puts it, 3D printing is breaking down boundaries. His advice to anyone starting this journey is simple: “You got to open your mind, mate, because this machine is going to do way more than you ever imagined.”

Learn more and support Ocean Alliance here.