Bat Protect
Bat Protect Hybrid
Thermal vision and ultrasound. One integrated bat-monitoring solution.
Bat Protect Hybrid combines thermal imaging and ultrasonic monitoring to provide a more complete understanding of bat activity around wind turbines. By bringing together two complementary detection technologies, the system provides both visual and acoustic information from the same monitoring environment.
Two technologies. One system. Greater confidence.
What it does
Combines thermal detection with ultrasonic acoustic monitoring to provide enhanced detection confidence and a richer picture of bat activity around the turbine.
Integrated thermal and acoustic intelligence
Two sensing technologies. One intelligent protection system.
Bat Protect™ Hybrid combines thermal imaging and ultrasonic acoustic monitoring within one integrated solution for wind-energy applications.
Thermal cameras detect and monitor flying bats through their heat signatures, providing visual information about movement and flight trajectories.
Ultrasonic microphones capture bat echolocation calls, providing complementary information about acoustic activity and its variation over time.
Together, these technologies offer a more comprehensive understanding of bat activity around wind turbines, supporting environmental monitoring, event analysis and project-specific mitigation strategies.
By combining complementary sensing technologies within a coordinated system, Bat Protect™ Hybrid supports effective biodiversity protection and informed turbine operation.
Two Complementary Technologies
Thermal Imaging
Observe bat movements in the monitored airspace.
Thermal cameras detect heat signatures, enabling the observation of flying bats under nighttime and low-light conditions.
Key capabilities
- Thermal detection of flying bats.
- Monitoring of movement and flight trajectories.
- Nighttime visual observation.
- Recorded thermal event evidence.
- Support for spatial risk assessment.
Indicative thermal bat detection range: up to 150 m, depending on conditions and system configuration.
Ultrasonic Acoustic Monitoring
Capture echolocation activity beyond visual observation.
Ultrasonic microphones detect bat echolocation calls, providing information about bat presence and acoustic activity patterns.
Key capabilities
- Detection of ultrasonic bat calls.
- Acoustic activity monitoring.
- Analysis of activity patterns over time.
- Recorded acoustic evidence.
- Support for environmental assessment and mitigation planning.
Thermal imaging shows how bats move. Acoustic monitoring helps reveal when and where echolocation activity occurs.
How Bat Protect™ Hybrid works
From complementary detection to coordinated protection
01
Thermal & Acoustic Detection
Thermal cameras monitor flying targets while ultrasonic microphones capture relevant echolocation activity.
02
Signal Processing
Thermal and acoustic information is processed using the applicable detection and analysis methods.
03
Activity Analysis
The system provides complementary information about bat movement, acoustic activity and relevant monitoring events.
04
Risk Assessment & Mitigation
Configured operational criteria support risk evaluation and, where applicable, alerts or automated turbine curtailment.
05
Event Recording & Reporting
Relevant monitoring information and operational events are made available for historical analysis and environmental reporting.
The advantages of combined monitoring
A more complete understanding of bat activity
Complementary Detection
Combine visual thermal observations with acoustic echolocation information.
Movement & Activity Intelligence
Examine flight movements alongside acoustic activity patterns to better understand the monitored environment.
Nighttime Monitoring
Support bat monitoring during periods when conventional visible-light cameras are less effective.
Multiple Sources of Evidence
Maintain relevant thermal recordings and acoustic information for event review and environmental analysis.
Coordinated Mitigation
Support project-specific turbine mitigation through a common monitoring and operational framework.
Consolidated Reporting
Bring relevant thermal, acoustic and operational information together for environmental monitoring and reporting.
Two complementary sensing technologies. One coordinated monitoring environment.
Intelligent turbine mitigation
Protecting bats while supporting efficient turbine operation
Bat Protect™ Hybrid provides complementary monitoring information that can support risk-based turbine mitigation.
Depending on the installed configuration and project requirements, the system can support:
- Monitoring of bat movement and acoustic activity.
- Evaluation of relevant monitoring events.
- Analysis of bat activity patterns.
- Configurable mitigation thresholds.
- Operator notifications.
- Automated turbine curtailment where supported.
- Recording of mitigation events and turbine responses.
The objective is to support effective bat protection while reducing unnecessary operational interruptions. Mitigation decisions depend on the approved project configuration and operational criteria — not every bat detection or acoustic event automatically triggers a shutdown.
One integrated solution, multiple operational advantages
Simplified infrastructure. Coordinated operation.
Integrated Monitoring Architecture
Thermal and acoustic sensing technologies operate within a coordinated monitoring solution.
Centralized Data Access
Access relevant monitoring and event information through a common software environment where integrated.
Coordinated Technical Support
Manage the combined solution through a unified technical support and maintenance framework.
Consolidated Environmental Reporting
Review thermal observations, acoustic activity and relevant mitigation information within a coordinated reporting process.
Environmental monitoring and reporting
Turning complementary observations into environmental intelligence
Bat Protect™ Hybrid supports the collection and review of thermal and acoustic monitoring information relevant to biodiversity protection and environmental studies.
Depending on configuration, recorded information may include:
- Thermal detection events and recordings.
- Acoustic monitoring events and recordings.
- Detection timestamps.
- Sensor and turbine identification.
- Movement and trajectory information from thermal monitoring.
- Acoustic activity trends.
- Relevant mitigation actions.
- Historical monitoring statistics.
Where connected to IRIDA's MRA Cloud Platform, relevant information can be accessed through centralized monitoring, analytics and reporting tools.
Explore MRA Cloud Platform & ReportingDesigned for demanding environmental requirements
Comprehensive monitoring for sensitive wind-energy sites
Bat Protect™ Hybrid is particularly relevant for projects requiring complementary thermal and acoustic information.
Typical applications include:
- Wind farms with significant bat activity.
- Sites with sensitive bat habitats.
- Projects requiring both thermal and acoustic monitoring.
- Environmental impact and post-construction monitoring programmes.
- Wind farms requiring project-specific bat mitigation strategies.
- Projects where multiple forms of monitoring evidence are valuable.
Connected to IRIDA's Technology Ecosystem
Explore the Bat Protect family
How it works
Thermal cameras monitor movement and heat signatures in the surrounding airspace while ultrasonic sensors simultaneously capture bat echolocation activity. The two data streams are processed within the same monitoring architecture, allowing activity to be assessed using complementary sources of information.
Designed for
- High-risk bat sites
- Complex monitoring environments
- Projects requiring thermal and acoustic evidence
- Sites requiring enhanced detection confidence
- Detailed environmental studies
- Projects with demanding monitoring or mitigation requirements
Why Bat Protect Hybrid
No single sensing technology provides the complete picture. Combining thermal and acoustic monitoring gives operators complementary information about bat presence and activity while consolidating monitoring into one integrated system and platform.
Protect bats without pausing your yield
We model your site's bat activity and design the curtailment strategy that loses the least energy.
Talk to our team