Camera system sheds new light on bird collisions at sea
Research into bird collisions with offshore wind turbines has taken an important step forward. A yearlong pilot study at an offshore wind turbine has shown that thermal cameras and artificial intelligence can be used to directly observe potential collisions at sea. The technology proved effective under challenging conditions while also generating rare real-world data on bird movements around a…
A yearlong study at an offshore wind farm in the Netherlands has demonstrated the effectiveness of thermal cameras and artificial intelligence in directly observing potential bird collisions at sea. The research, led by Vattenfall in collaboration with Wildlife Imaging Systems and Wageningen University & Research, utilized 16 thermal cameras installed on an offshore wind turbine to monitor bird movements around the structure.
The system operated continuously, day and night, even in challenging conditions such as fog or rain, and generated real-world data on bird activity. Researchers from Wageningen University & Research analyzed the data to assess the system's performance and identify areas for improvement. Of 22 potential bird collisions observed over the course of the trial, two were confirmed and one was considered highly probable.
While the study aims to test the technology's performance under real offshore conditions, it also provides valuable insights into the technology's capabilities for future use and potential wider rollout. Safeguarding biodiversity is crucial as offshore wind energy continues to expand, and this research represents an important step forward in understanding the impact of offshore wind turbines on bird populations.
Written by urgent.news from Phys.org's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
