Indigenous-led responsible innovation: lessons from co-developed protocols to guide the use of drones to monitor a biocultural landscape in Kakadu National Park, Australia

Indigenous-led responsible innovation protocols for drone use in Kakadu National Park demonstrate how traditional worldviews can guide ethical technological integration. These protocols empower Indigenous governance, foster trusted research relationships, and enable ongoing Indigenous-led technological advancement. Applied at Jarrangbarnmi, a biocultural landscape owned by the Jawoyn people, the protocols ensure that cultural responsibilities for knowledge sharing and stewardship inform the co-design of innovations like drones. This approach offers a model for adaptive co-management of Indigenous lands, balancing technological progress with deep cultural values.

Macdonald, J. M., Robinson, C. J., Perry, J., Lee, M., Barrowei, R., Coleman, B., Markham, J., Barrowei, A., Markham, B., Ford, H., Douglas, J., Hunter, J., Gayoso, E., Ahwon, T., Cooper, D., May, K., Setterfield, S., & Douglas, M. (2021). Indigenous-led responsible innovation: lessons from co-developed protocols to guide the use of drones to monitor a biocultural landscape in Kakadu National Park, Australia. Journal of Responsible Innovation, 8(2), 300–319. https://doi.org/10.1080/23299460.2021.1964321