Dong Energy has funded a drone trial at an RSPB reserve on the Yorkshire coast.
The trial to count cliff-nesting seabirds took place at Bempton Cliffs, which attracts over 250,000 birds annually and provides a breeding ground for many of them.
The drone, which was provided by environmental consultancy NIRAS, was used to see if it was suitable to carry out future surveys of cliff-nesting seabirds.
Dong said the birds showed minimal interest in the drone, which produced photos detailed enough to distinguish between guillemots and razorbills, two species of auk that look very similar when observed from a distance.
The survey data will be used by the RSPB, and also by Dong in the development of offshore wind farms off the Yorkshire coast, such as Hornsea 3.
“Previous seabird counts have been undertaken visually from a boat and were so highly weather dependent that it has limited the number of years in which complete colony counts have been possible,” Dong said.
Dong Energy lead environment and consents specialist Allen Risby said: “Obtaining accurate counts of breeding seabirds is important for monitoring the health of the colony at this iconic site.”
Image: Dong Energy
Dong funds drone bird study
Trial produced photos that could distinguish between guillemots and razorbills
By EBS