Aerial surveys are used for acquiring information on manatee distribution. These surveys are typically conducted in near-shore waters around the state. Flights are usually 4–6 hours long, and are most commonly flown every two weeks for two years. Most surveys are done from small, four-seat, high-winged airplanes (for example: Cessna 172 or 182) flying at an altitude of 230 m (750 ft) at a speed of 130 km/hr (80 mph). The flights are designed to maximize the manatee counts by concentrating on shallow near-shore waters where manatees and their primary food source, seagrasses, are located. Flight paths curve along parallel to the shoreline, and the airplane circles when manatees are spotted until a count of the number of animals in each group is obtained. Deeper waters are usually not surveyed.
All aerial data are recorded on photocopies of navigation charts and entered into a Geographic Information System (GIS) for spatial analysis.