The one in the middle is a calf born just this past winter.
The one in the middle is a calf born this past winter. NOAA/Vancouver Aquarium

Granted, I'm obsessed with orcas, but even if you're not, you have to admit this is pretty amazing. According to NOAA:

For the first time, scientists have used an unmanned aerial vehicle to study killer whales from above. The device they're using is a remote-controlled hexacopter with a high-resolution camera mounted in its belly, and the photos it produces are beautiful and full of detail. The images offer an entirely new view of this species.

The orca on the left is so hungry its body is sunken in right behind its skull. It is believed to have died shortly after this image was taken. The orca on the right, by contrast, is well-fed and healthy.
The orca on the left is so hungry its body is sunken in behind its skull. It is believed to have died shortly after this image was taken. The orca on the right, by contrast, is well-fed and healthy. NOAA/Vancouver Aquarium

These orcas are the northern resident killer whales, who live off the coast of Vancouver Island. Like their friends to the south, the southern resident killer whale, these guys pretty much only eat Chinook salmon. Unfortunately, Chinook salmon runs are dying off, and as the imagery clearly shows, some of these killer whales are not getting enough food.

The orca at the bottom of this image is pregnant. You can tell because her body widens behind her dorsal fin, under her ribcage.
The orca at the bottom of this image is pregnant. You can tell because her body widens behind her dorsal fin, under her ribcage. NOAA/Vancouver Aquarium

Two orcas being playful, nuzzling heads together.
Two orcas being playful, nuzzling heads together. NOAA/Vancouver Aquarium

You can read more about NOAA's collaboration with Vancouver Aquarium scientists right here. It seems like drones might actually be good for something after all. As Wired points out, "The use of drones could help fill gaps in data and provide a cheaper, more flexible alternative to using conventional aircraft. Drones are also quieter and can fly at lower altitudes, providing scientists with better data."

Here's a video in which a scientist talks about a number of these images and what he sees in them:

If you want to read a book about orcas, I just read Of Orcas and Men and recommend it.