Dr. Melissa Anne Duncan-Schiele

Melissa Duncan-Schiele, PhD (née Schiele), has been operating BVLOS fixed-wing UAVs in remote oceanic environments since 2018. She holds a PhD in BVLOS UAV engineering and marine science, with her research focused on vessel-based UAV operations for detecting IUU fishing vessels (compliance and enforcement), wildlife monitoring, and plastics detection at sea and in coastal areas. Her PhD was completed at Loughborough University (UK) and the Zoological Society of London.

Melissa has extensive experience in field engineering and UAV piloting. She is a licensed commercial drone pilot in both the UK and Oman and has consulted on a wide range of marine BVLOS projects across the globe, building and curating an international network of specialists.

Her research has centred on the Chagos Archipelago (BIOT), the Maldives, and Belize, with additional work in Uganda. She also initiated the first long-term drone project for plastics monitoring at the Ritz-Carlton resort in the Maldives. Her areas of specialisation are the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Gulf.

Currently based in Oman, Melissa is the Lead for Project Earthlings, where she develops opportunities for schools in Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar to engage with real-world research. In September 2025, she spearheaded the first Omani conservation multirotor drone fleet at Sultan Qaboos University. This pioneering programme will launch projects in sea turtle monitoring, coral reef mapping, and plastics surveys in autumn 2025.