Case study | Central Queensland | 2025

Thermal drone mustering at Moray Downs

At Australian Country Choice's Moray Downs property near Clermont, the job was to find bulls that had stayed behind after several helicopter musters. They were tucked away in thick brigalow regrowth, in paddocks covering more than 5,000 acres. East Coast Drones joined the station team to help find them and finish the muster.

Finding the remaining bulls

Anyone who has searched for the last few cattle in a big paddock knows how much work they can make. At Moray Downs, the bulls were the main targets. The helicopters had been through several times, but animals remained in the regrowth. Sending the crew back through without knowing where to look meant more searching for people, horses, and dogs.

James Warren could start searching with the thermal drone at 4 am, before sunrise. That gave him a head start over the ground crew. By the time they arrived at sunrise, he could give them pinpoint locations for the animals he had found, rather than have them start searching a large paddock from scratch.

Before sunrise and on the ground

The operation ran over four nights, with thermal imaging helping James locate animals by their heat signatures. Once the crew arrived, UHF radio connected the drone operator with stockhands working on bikes and horses, with dogs. James could talk them right onto the bulls, while the crew used their stockmanship to get them moving.

That aerial view remained useful once the cattle were on the move. If the crew lost sight of a bull in a creek or thick timber, they could call James over the UHF. He could check its position from above and guide them back onto it. For the people on the ground, it was another set of eyes when the country made it hard to see.

The result

About 20 remaining bulls were located during the operation, helping complete the muster. The early searches meant the crew could get onto the animals around daylight, before the heat built up. Knowing where to go saved time and helped keep people, horses, and dogs fresher for handling the big bulls.

Keeping track from above also helped the crew manage pressure on the cattle. When the bulls were travelling in the right direction, the team could ease off while James followed their progress with the drone. They did not have to keep stirring the animals up just to keep track of them. If a bull slipped out of sight, a call over the UHF could put the crew back onto it. Clear communication and skilled stock work made that aerial information useful on the ground.

Choosing your thermal package

Our agricultural drone experience began in 2017, helping shift cattle through a rotational grazing system. Established in 2020, East Coast Drones has grown from that practical start into supplying DJI thermal mustering packages, parts, training, and ongoing support. Jobs like Moray Downs help us understand the questions graziers ask when they are choosing a drone for their own country.

We can help you choose a thermal drone and accessories to suit your property, then support you as you learn to use them. That includes practical advice about working with your ground crew and making the aerial view useful during a muster. We also offer contract drone mustering services.

Explore our thermal mustering packages and stock work services

Read the coverage

The Moray Downs operation was reported by Australian Country Choice, Beef Central, and ABC News in July and August 2025. Read their accounts below.

• Australian Country Choice: Muster mop-up with night-vision drone, 31 July 2025 (opens in a new tab)
• Beef Central: Night-vision drone used for muster mop-up on ACC's Moray Downs, 1 August 2025 (opens in a new tab)
• ABC News: Night-vision drones round up stray cattle on central Queensland property, 7 August 2025 (opens in a new tab)