AI to map seabird flight around offshore turbines

Led by Vattenfall, the study will employ new technology from Norwegian AI startup Spoor to document how the birds interact with Vattenfall’s Aberdeen Bay Offshore Wind Farm. Four cameras will record the 3D flight behaviour in the immediate vicinity of the turbine blades, with Spoor’s AI helping to map the flight paths of individual seabirds. The project builds on previous work conducted by Vattenfall that took place at Aberdeen’s European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre (EOWDC).

“This exciting, collaborative project is the first of its kind to validate camera technologies for 3D tracking of seabirds in the immediate vicinity of offshore wind turbines,” said Jesper Kyed Larsen, a bioscience expert at Vattenfall.

“Having well understood high quality data is key to providing the evidence base we need to protect seabirds and plan the offshore wind farms of the future which are vital in the fight against climate change.” 

Alongside Spoor, Vattenfall has also recruited the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) as a partner on the project. In addition, a stakeholder advisory panel has been formed to provide advice and input, including experts from the RSPB, Marine Scotland Science, NatureScot, and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee.