The drone also records water temperature. The project has allowed the Bachelor of Environmental Planning student to return home, be part of an important international research project into problems freshwater lakes are facing globally and gain valuable experience. Worried she may be out of her depth working alongside the team of experienced scientists, Potiki, who grew up in Tūrangi and attended Tauhara College in Taupō, said everything had gone swimmingly. “They are all so nice, and we all bring different skills to the table. “You gain a lot from these sorts of hands-on experiences in each other's worlds and I hope it’s something I can continue in my career.”