Aerial survey of the Prion Island and Skua Island wandering albatross colonies during the 2021/22 season conducted using a RPAS (remotely piloted aerial system). The aerial survey was conducted as part of the Darwin Plus (DPLUS) 109 project: Initiating Monitoring Support for the SGSSI-MPA Research and Monitoring Plan for the purpose of establishing a baseline population estimate of key indicator species around South Georgia. Dataset includes the original images and log files, the original RINEX GNSS (global navigation satellite system) base station files, the post-processed GNSS and imagery data, along with the resulting georeferenced DSM (digital surface model) and an orthorectified mosaic of the imagery. This dataset is from flight number DPLUS_109_24 and was carried out on 04/01/2022. This work was supported by the Overseas Territories Environment and Climate Fund under Grant Darwin Plus ref: DPLUS109: Initiating monitoring support for the SGSSI-MPA Research and Monitoring Plan. Funding for this work was also received from the UK Blue Belt fund through GSGSSI.

Aerial survey of the Inner Lee Island, Outer Lee Island and Petrel Island wandering albatross colonies during the 2021/22 season conducted using a RPAS (remotely piloted aerial system). The aerial survey was conducted as part of the Darwin Plus (DPLUS) 109 project: Initiating Monitoring Support for the SGSSI-MPA Research and Monitoring Plan for the purpose of establishing a baseline population estimate of key indicator species around South Georgia. Dataset includes the original images and log files, the original RINEX GNSS (global navigation satellite system) base station files, the post-processed GNSS and imagery data, along with the resulting georeferenced DSM (digital surface model) and an orthorectified mosaic of the imagery. This dataset is from flight number DPLUS_109_25 and was carried out on 04/01/2022. This work was supported by the Overseas Territories Environment and Climate Fund under Grant Darwin Plus ref: DPLUS109: Initiating monitoring support for the SGSSI-MPA Research and Monitoring Plan. Funding for this work was also received from the UK Blue Belt fund through GSGSSI.

During the 2019/20 austral summer, an unoccupied aerial vehicle (UAV; drone) was used to collect imagery of breeding populations of seals, penguins and albatross. Two extensive southern elephant seal breeding sites were surveyed with complete counts made around the peak pupping date. A total of nine islands historically recorded as breeding sites for wandering albatross were surveyed. Populations of Adelie and chinstrap penguin colonies at the South Sandwich Islands, an extensive king penguin colony on South Georgia and a macaroni penguin colony, also on South Georgia, were also included in the surveys. The South Georgia aspects of this work were funded by grants to the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) from the Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands and UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office. The South Sandwich Islands expedition was funded by the John Ellerman Foundation and donations from passengers on Quark Expeditions' ships.