In a mission led by marine scientists studying seabird populations, the Stockholm Resilience Centre, deployed the Sailbuoy to help answer a critical ecological question: Are seabirds getting enough to eat?
Outside the island of Store Karlsö in the Baltic Sea, the Sailbuoy was used to monitor fish stocks for more than 100 000 seabirds, the largest seabird colony in the Baltic Sea.
This initiative focused on monitorin
g the availability of forage fish. By collecting high-resolution data in areas that are difficult to access using traditional vessels, Sailbuoy offered researchers a non-intrusive and efficient way to monitor fish presence and abundance.
With its quiet, zero-emission operation and ability to navigate autonomously over long distances, Sailbuoy was able to gather valuable environmental data without disturbing sensitive wildlife.
The monitoring, from 2020, was the first long-term study of its kind.
The mission is featured in the article "Drones help researchers check if seabirds get enough fish" published by the Stockholm Resilience Centre. You can read the full article here:
👉 Drones help researchers check if seabirds get enough fish
This example illustrates how Sailbuoy is supporting not only offshore energy and climate monitoring—but also important ecological and conservation research that benefits marine ecosystems worldwide.