Saildrone Completes Unique Mission to Detect Bats at Sea Using Autonomous Vehicles

Saildrone and Bat Conservation International have successfully completed a pioneering mission employing an ultrasonic microphone mounted on a Saildrone uncrewed surface vehicle to study bats in an offshore environment. This mission, funded by the Department of Energy and EPRI, aimed to demonstrate Saildrone's suitability for bat research and environmental impact assessments related to offshore wind energy development. The Saildrone collected valuable data on offshore bat migration patterns, recording at least three species of bats and 830 individual bat calls during a 31-night mission near a known offshore bat migratory roost. The research is crucial to understanding and mitigating the potential impacts of offshore wind energy development on bat populations. This initiative aligns with the ongoing need to monitor bats in offshore environments, especially in the context of renewable energy expansion.

Link to the full article: https://insideunmannedsystems.com/saildrone-completes-unique-mission-to-detect-bats-at-sea-using-autonomous-vehicles/