Testing, tracking, and trust: BTO's independent review of Spoor’s offshore monitoring solution

To evaluate how well Spoor’s technology delivers on that need, the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) conducted an independent assessment of our AI-powered bird monitoring system. The trial took place at the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre (EOWDC) in Aberdeen Bay, one of the most advanced offshore wind testing facilities in Europe.

Commissioned by Vattenfall and Spoor, this multi-phase study tested both mono- and stereo-camera AI setups over an 18-month period. Importantly, the system was tested not only offshore—but also in controlled onshore conditions using drone-based calibration, helping to demonstrate its flexibility for both marine and land-based wind projects.

What Was Tested?

The BTO evaluation included a range of technical and field-based components:

• Drone-based onshore calibration trials
• Continuous offshore video capture using Spoor
• Manual 3D trajectory reconstructions and comparison to human observers
• Statistical modelling of bird movement, detection, and flight height distributions

This structure enabled a thorough comparison of Spoor’s AI performance in real-world conditions and across different deployment setups.

Key Insights:

• High-accuracy 3D tracking: Spoor’s stereo-vision system produced highly accurate bird flight trajectories within 500 meters of offshore turbines—crucial for validating risk models.
• Scalable mono-camera coverage: Mono-vision setups delivered broad detection capability, though with higher variability—making them useful for large-scale coverage when paired with stereo validation.
• Robust data output: The system captured large numbers of bird tracks, enabling strong statistical modelling of flight height and density—two critical factors in collision risk modelling.
• Real-world resilience: Even under environmental and operational constraints, the system consistently generated valuable data that can directly inform environmental impact assessments (EIAs), regulatory submissions, and mitigation strategies.

Why it matters: real data for real decisions

This trial reinforces Spoor’s hybrid approach: combining scalable mono-vision for broad coverage with stereo-vision for precise calibration and validation. It’s a solution designed not just for scientific inquiry, but for project developers, consultants, and regulators working to balance renewable energy goals with biodiversity protection.

With reliable, AI-generated data on flight height, trajectories, and density, developers can:

• Improve confidence in collision risk models
• Strengthen permit applications and post-construction monitoring
• De-risk investments through proactive biodiversity management
• Respond quickly with targeted mitigation, like curtailment or turbine-specific shutdowns

And while this evaluation focused on offshore environments, Spoor’s system is already being deployed onshore—where biodiversity concerns, permitting challenges, and compliance demands are equally pressing. The core technology and AI-driven tracking models remain the same, enabling consistent monitoring across both contexts.

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