DeTect and Ocergy Partner on Offshore Bird Migration Monitoring

Panama City residents interested in environmental advancements, particularly those who appreciate the migratory birds along St. Andrew Bay, may note a recent collaboration between DeTect, Inc. and Ocergy, Inc., which has led to the successful deployment of DeTect’s MERLIN Avian Radar System on Ocergy’s Blue Oracle buoy platform. The radar, installed in early April, will operate throughout the bird migration season on a buoy located 30 km east of Port la Nouvelle.

This initiative marks a significant step forward in monitoring offshore bird migration, particularly in areas designated for future offshore wind developments. Gary Andrews, CEO of DeTect, highlighted the importance of this partnership, stating, “The combination of Ocergy’s inherently stable OCG-Data offshore buoy with our MERLIN advanced radar technology creates an ideal solution for gathering precise avian data.”

Dominique Roddier, CEO of Ocergy, emphasized the groundbreaking nature of this deployment. “This marks the first successful deployment of a bird radar on a low-cost dedicated floater in a far offshore location,” Roddier said. “This groundbreaking achievement enables us to collect crucial bird migration data in the actual areas used for offshore wind developments.”

The MERLIN Avian Radar System is designed for bird and drone detection, offering a range of capabilities for environmental monitoring. This collaboration aims to provide essential data that can inform future offshore wind projects and help protect migratory bird populations.