https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/o:3571 Assessing the potential disturbance effects on the use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UASs) for European vultures research: a review and conservation recommendations Zink, Richard Richard Zink 0000-0002-1286-6309 University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Kmetova-Biro, Elena Elena Kmetova-Biro 0000-0002-6871-5630 University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna / Green Balkans - Stara Zagora Agnezy, Stefan Stefan Agnezy Klisurov, Ivaylo Ivaylo Klisurov Green Balkans - Stara Zagora Margalida, Antoni Antoni Margalida 0000-0002-0576-3993 Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología / Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos Cambridge University Press text eng Vultures are among the most threatened bird guilds on the planet and have a unique functional role within ecosystems. They are therefore subject to increasing research interest, calling for standardised study approaches and monitoring methods. The use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UASs) is rapidly gaining popularity in ecological research due to technological advances, affordability, and accessibility. This study reviews the existing peer-reviewed publications and grey literature on the responses of European vultures and other comparable species to UASs, and summarises the types of UAS use, their potential disturbance effects on vultures, and the resulting inter- and intra-specific interactions. Our goal was to assess the potential effects of UASs and to provide practical recommendations to optimise their safe use in vulture conservation and research. We acknowledge the potential of UASs to increase research efficiency and reduce research effort, time, and financial cost. Owing to the absence of sufficient data on long-term disturbance effects, we advocate the precautionary principle and offer a set of species-tailored practical recommendations to limit the potential negative effects of UASs and maximise their value in conservation management. We urge that the physiological and long-term impacts on vulture reproduction are considered and call for standardised monitoring protocols and controls on UAS use. Our conclusions and recommendations are particularly aimed at researchers working on vulture conservation and restoration projects worldwide. Nest-Site Selection; Breeding Success; Gypaetus-Barbatus; Cinereous Vulture; Aegypius-Monachus; Egyptian Vulture; Bearded Vultures; Griffon Vultures; Gyps-Fulvus; Declining Population http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/api/object/o:3571/download 10.1017/S0959270923000102 https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/o:605 application/pdf Bird Conservation International 33 (2023) Bird Conservation International 33 733.78 kB 2023