Drone mapping has emerged as a game-changer revolutionizing ecological monitoring and conservation by providing a bird’s-eye view of ecosystems. Drones enhance efficiency in monitoring vast areas, facilitate rapid response to environmental threats, and contribute valuable data for informed decision-making. Using examples from drone imagery based ecological research in the Driftless area (detecting invasive aquatic plants; mapping cold water habitats, geomorphic properties of driftless streams, and prairie vegetation phenology) this talk will discuss the potentials and challenges of using drones for ecological applications in the Driftless.