Protocols for Conducting Drone Fieldwork in Togo, West Africa
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 2289780 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Colin Thor West (0000-0001-6760-8801, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill), Rajah Saparapa (University of Michigan), Koff Nomedji (Duke University), Devon Maloney, Devon V Maloney (0000-0002-6330-2335, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill), Aaron Moody (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) |
| Year | 2022 |
| Volume | 46 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 170-181 |
| Publication date | 2022-11-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Annals of Anthropological Practice (BOOK_SERIES) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2153-957X • E-ISSN: 2153-9588 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1111/napa.12192 |
| OpenAlex | W4298141610 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 10 |
Fieldwork is a hallmark of anthropology and the experience of being in the field features prominently in scholarly works. The processes by which anthropologists obtain permission to conduct fieldwork, however, are rarely described. The study presented here discusses in substantial detail how a research project in Togo, West Africa obtained official authorization to conduct un-crewed aerial vehicle (UAV or "drone") fieldwork. Anthropologists are continually incorporating new technologies into their work and drones have the potential to become part of our methodological toolkit. For security reasons, however, drone importation and use is carefully controlled by governments. This article describes the processes and protocols by which a team of anthropologists obtained official permission for drone work in a West African country. As such, it provides a guide for how other researchers may obtain similar authorizations in other contexts and anticipate challenges in doing so
Authorization · Computer security · Drone · Field (mathematics · Field research · Geography · Permission · Political science · Social science · Sociology · Work (physics · Asian Geopolitics and Ethnography · Cambodian History and Society · Computer Science · Engineering · Hydropower, Displacement, Environmental Impact · Law
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| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |