DRONES will be used at West Australian beaches in a three-month trial to monitor shark activity and potentially spot other dangers such as rips and schools of bait fish, which attract the predators.

Under the plan, $88,000 will be provided for four small drones equipped with a high-definition camera to stream live pictures back to Surf Life Saving WA operators at some metropolitan and regional beaches.

Fisheries Minister Joe Francis said the trial was part of the state government’s $33 million Shark Hazard Mitigation strategy.

“Drone technology has advanced significantly in recent years and it makes sense to test if it can be used effectively to make our beaches safer,” he said on Sunday.

“The trial will assess whether this eye in the sky technology can add value to the beach surveillance currently provided by helicopter and beach patrols.” Mr Francis said SLSWA would test the technology’s capability against environmental factors, such as weather conditions and beach geography, and would be flown at beach events such as surf carnivals.

The trial will run from November to January, and future funding will depend on the results.