Hundreds of monster hunters descended on the Scottish Highlands this weekend for an annual search for the Loch Ness Monster — this time armed with an underwater drone mapping the lake’s murky depths.

The Loch Ness Experience’s yearly “quest” kicked off Thursday, drawing visitors, enthusiasts and even tech companies with advanced gear to the 23-mile stretch of Scottish water known as Urquhart Bay in hopes of finally proving the existence of the allegedly massive but apparently very camera creature, according to European outlet The Standard.

“Loch Ness has a unique power to fascinate people, whether they are lifelong believers, curious skeptics or simply captivated by the mystery,” Nagina Ishaq, general manager of the Loch Ness Experience, told the outlet.

“The fact that 2026 has already brought new sightings shows that the intrigue around Nessie is as strong as ever,” Ishaq said.

A company known as Deep Sea Vision deployed its autonomous underwater drone, Micro Millie, to chart the hidden floor of Urquhart Bay during the search, which ran through Sunday.

The bay is a go-to for monster hunters searching for the Loch Ness due to its varied underwater terrain, its proximity to Urquhart Castle and its reputation as a recent hotspot for reported sightings.

The drone used advanced sensors and autonomous programming to map the loch bed in unprecedented detail, however, no sighting of the mythical creature was reported.

Alan McKenna, of the independent Loch Ness Exploration research group, said the weekend offered a rare chance to examine the loch “from different perspectives,” from what is happening on the surface to what may be taking place beneath it.

“For the public, it is a brilliant opportunity to get directly involved and play a meaningful part in the weekend,” McKenna said.