A new study by ornithologist Dr. Roy Armstrong and ecologist Caitlin Henderson has found no evidence of disturbance among seabird colonies in Orkney as a result of recent drone flights conducted by Windracers. This discovery is important for drone operators planning to serve Scotland’s remote island communities, where many sensitive bird species are located.
The seabird colony disturbance study was commissioned as part of Windracers’ drone delivery trial in Orkney. The trial featured the Windracers ULTRA, a twin-engine, fixed-wing aircraft with a 10-meter wingspan, flying autonomously between the islands of Eday, Westray, and North Ronaldsay several times each week.
Dr. Armstrong and Henderson observed seabird colonies on the uninhabited Calf of Eday, which hosts 32 species of breeding birds. This area is recognized as a Special Protection Area (SPA) due to its importance as a nesting site. The researchers focused on species such as cormorants, fulmars, guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes, and various gulls.
According to the study, no species displayed any adverse reactions to the drone flights, either visually or auditorily. Some common gulls were attracted to the taxiing drone, a behavior commonly seen when these birds follow agricultural machinery. Other disturbances observed were caused by a passing sheep, passers-by, and a boat.
Dr. Armstrong explained that the study’s findings align with previous research on drone and bird interactions. “The trials clearly demonstrated that there was no disturbance effect observed at the chick rearing stage of a wide range of species,” he said. He also emphasized that low noise levels from the Windracers ULTRA made it unlikely to cause adverse effects on bird colonies.
