Revolutionary AI Bird Monitoring for Offshore Wind Farms

In a groundbreaking move, Fugro, a leader in detailed earth data, has partnered with Spoor, a tech company known for its smart software solutions. Together, they’re creating a new way to watch over birds near offshore wind farms. This AI-powered bird monitoring system aims to improve how we protect bird populations while supporting clean energy.

How It Works

The system uses high-tech cameras placed on Fugro’s SEAWATCH® Wind Lidar buoys. These buoys float in the sea and collect data. The cameras record videos of birds flying and landing near the wind farms. Then, Spoor’s clever software looks at the videos. It can tell what kind of birds are in them.

Why It’s Better

Old ways of checking on birds needed good weather and people going out to sea. This was expensive and could be dangerous. Here are some benefits of the new AI system:

• It works all year, no matter the weather.
• It’s safer because no one has to go out to sea to check on the birds.
• It saves money and is better for the planet because it uses less fuel.

What Leaders Say

Jørn Erik Norangshol from Fugro said, “We’re thrilled to bring together Spoor’s smart software with our SEAWATCH® buoys. This will help us watch birds without disturbing them and without our teams having to face rough seas.”

Christian Skaarup Rasmussen from Spoor shared, “Our partnership with Fugro is a big step forward. It makes checking on bird life easier and smarter. We are excited to give wind farm developers the tools they need to take care of our wildlife.”

Real World Testing

The new system was first tried at the Hywind Tampen wind farm in the North Sea. The results were very good. The cameras could spot and identify birds correctly, which shows this new method works well.

The Future of Bird Monitoring

This AI system is just starting. In the future, it could change how we protect nature around all kinds of wind farms, not just in the sea but also on land. Protecting birds while supporting clean energy is very important. This new system shows a great way to do both.

Learn More

For additional information about Fugro’s technologies and their partnership with Spoor, check out their official website at https://www.fugro.com/.