Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles for Ecology Surveys (U-AVES) project is a transformative collaboration between industry leaders and academia. This project is funded by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) National Energy Research Development and Demonstration (RD&D) Funding Programme 2022.
This innovative project, made possible through the partnership of A-techSYN, Atlantic Technological University, BlueWise Marine, and Energia Renewables, has the potential to revolutionise ecological surveys in Ireland through the use of Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).
The U-AVES project will utilise cameras and sensors deployed on a long endurance VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) fixed wing UAV to capture imagery of seabirds and marine mammals in two Proof of Concept Flights in study areas yet to be defined. This project aims to achieve a dual goal: optimising sensor selection, flight operations and aircraft controls, while also validating the technology’s efficacy in conducting large-range offshore ecological surveys.
In addition to the highly technological and academic aspects of the U-AVES project, BlueWise Marine aims to utilise our expertise in stakeholder engagement and promotion to define user requirements through engagement with industry and public sector stakeholders relevant to the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) industry ensure that the U-AVES solution meets the needs of this growing sector.
BlueWise Marine will also assist A-techSYN and ATU in mapping the regulatory framework that is required to obtain permits for the proof-of-concept flights over Irish waters.
Findings from the project will be published to ORE stakeholders to assist in the future commercialisation of this service to the ORE industry. Direct collaboration with Energia Renewables, an energy utility and developer of offshore wind farms in Ireland, will allow the project to work closely with the project’s target market.
The U-AVES Project aims to promote an innovative, new approach to the use of VTOL UAV technology in environmental surveys, which is not only useful for the ORE industry, but to other sectors such as government agencies, researchers, and industry. It hopes to transform the future of ecological surveys.
This project has been supported with financial contribution from Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland under the SEAI Research, Development & Demonstration Funding Programme 2022, Grant number 22/RDD/851.
