Sniffer Drones Will Start Patrolling the World's Busiest Shipping Ports

Teams of drones are about to start policing the skies of some of the world’s busiest shipping ports. Their target? Environmental rule-breakers. It might sound - and look - like something out of a Marvel Avengers movie, but for many ports around the world, these so-called sniffer drones are the best way to enforce new regulations aimed at cutting the air pollution caused by ships.
Regulators are bracing for rules that are meant to lower shipping’s emissions of sulfur oxides, pollutants blamed for acid rain and aggravating human health conditions like asthma. Because the regulations, which start Jan. 1, will require most of the world’s ships to burn more expensive fuels, there’s been speculation some owners may try to cheat to drive down what is their single biggest cost. And that’s where the drones come in.