Story highlights Scientists use a hexacopter to study humpback whales

Drones are a noninvasive way to get biological samples

Aerial photos can provide clues about whales' health

(CNN) The remote-controlled drone whirs through a whale's spout at 10 feet above the sea to capture exactly what it exhales.

Researchers are using a remote-controlled hexacopter to study endangered humpback whales in Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary off New England, according to a statement released by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

Whale breath condenses on the sterile surface of the drone, giving a more accurate picture of health in the humpback.

Using the toy-looking tool, scientists can non-invasively test whales for stress levels, family history and general well-being by analyzing DNA, hormones and bacteria levels, according to the statement.

A hexacopter at Woods Hole has taken aerial photos of 36 humpbacks to find out how fat they were and whether their skin had lesions.

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