"We scientists love to sit at our computers and use climate models to make those predictions," Laurence C. Smith, a climate scientist on the team, told the Times. “But to really know what’s happening, that kind of understanding can only come about through empirical measurements in the field.”It was the first time the Times has used a drone on a reporting assignment, according to a post by photographer Josh Haner . Though the project presented unique challenges — battery life lasted only about eight minutes, given the cold temperatures, and it would have been impossible to retrieve the footage if the drone crashed — the results were spectacular."During the flight, I was mesmerized as I watched the live video from the camera on a tablet attached to my controller. I thought: This is what birds must feel as they fly up Alpine streams, skimming the surface of the water," Haner wrote.But if the world wants to halt or at least slow the melting of ice, real and immediate action is needed. A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of the Sciences earlier this month showed that New Orleans and Miami will be locked in to higher sea levels and partially underwater in coming years — no matter what humans do to counteract climate change.Click here to read the full New York Times piece and to see more photos and graphics explaining Greenland's melting ice sheet.