Standing at the summit of Proclamation Island, scientist Thomas Mattern guides his drone up ‘the albatross layer’, taking guidance from DOC’s Dave Houston. He has a formidable mission—to count every albatross, penguin and shag on the 25 islands, and do it all from his plastic pigeon. In all, he and his daughter Hannah took 8145 photos on 44 white-knuckled flights to map and model the entire island group.