DTBird system installation on Saitec’s DemoSATH platform
Saitec Offshore Technologies’ new DemoSATH platform, a two MW floating wind turbine deployment in the Biscay Marine Energy Platform (BiMEP) in collaboration with RWE Offshore Wind & Kansai Electric Power (KEPCO), features a marine DTBird model V4N2D10 consisting of four daylight and two thermal cameras along with ten speakers.
The platform will operate for two years, at two miles off the Basque coast, in Armintza. Its objective is to gather reliable operational data on floating wind technologies while assessing environmental interactions in real offshore conditions.
Project scope and engineering work
The scope includes bird monitoring, collision detection, and collision avoidance through sound deterrence and wind turbine shutdown signals.
Furthermore, the DTBird system records flight activity, time of presence, species behaviour and potential collision risks. These datasets are essential for environmental evaluations at offshore wind sites.
Both companies performed detailed engineering to determine the correct location, fixing and cable routing for every DTBird component. The installation work was completed onshore at the Port of Bilbao across several assembly phases. Thus, Saitec and DTBird coordinated testing and validation procedures to ensure proper alignment, sensor calibration and communication integration before the platform was towed offshore.
Environmental relevance of the DemoSATH project
Floating offshore wind opens new sites where traditional bottom-fixed turbines cannot be deployed. However, these areas often overlap with bird migration routes and foraging zones.
Moreover, the DemoSATH project is considered a key opportunity to test detection, monitoring and mitigation strategies under real offshore conditions.
The data collected by DTBird will help identify species patterns, flight altitudes and turbine interaction risks. These insights will support future Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and licensing processes for floating offshore wind projects in Spain and internationally.
Also, the system’s ability to trigger shutdowns based on real-time bird activity will contribute to developing science-based mitigation protocols, which are increasingly required by environmental authorities.
Strategic value for the offshore wind sector
DemoSATH is one of the first full-scale floating wind platforms deployed in Spain. It represents an important milestone for the country’s industrial and environmental strategy.
In addition, integrating DTBird into the project demonstrates how monitoring technologies can support safe coexistence between offshore wind development and marine wildlife.
We are grateful to Saitec for placing their trust in DTBird and for collaborating again in a pioneering offshore project for the Spanish renewable sector.
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1º Photo: DemoSATH Platform. Author: Saitec
2º y 3º Photo: Close-up detail of the DTBirdV4N2D10 offshore system installed on the DemoSATH platform. Author: DTBird.
