Inexpensive drones are offering scientists from the University of the Sunshine Coast a spectacular birds’ eye view of migrating humpback whales.

Two times a day, three days a week, researchers are setting sail in a Sunreef tourist boat into the waters off Mooloolaba.

Tourism researcher Dr Vikki Schaffer said the drone was an inexpensive consumer-grade model chosen so that the experiment could be replicated in other areas.

“Drones offer an aerial view that is absolutely changing the game for whale research which, to date, has been challenged because of the logistics around getting close to whales,” she said.