Hytech Imaging (France) has developed a solar-powered drone system to support environmental monitoring at offshore wind farms. The company recently completed test flights of its SolarStormm system, which integrates with the SolarXOne drone developed by French company XSun.
The system, designed to monitor marine biodiversity, forms part of the IBreizh programme launched by Ailes Marines in cooperation with the Pôle Mer Bretagne Atlantique. The initiative aims to develop innovative tools for monitoring biodiversity and detecting drifting objects in the Bay of Saint-Brieuc. Ailes Marines contributed €100,000 to the project, covering half of the eligible development costs.
SolarStormm combines three technologies: the SolarXOne solar-powered drone from XSun, Hytech Imaging’s Stormm-Survey spectral imaging system adapted for drone use, and the Stormm-Analysis module for processing and interpreting collected data
The solar-powered system offers a low-emission alternative to conventional aircraft-based monitoring. Three flight campaigns at the Saint-Brieuc offshore wind farm are planned in the coming months. Following successful tests, the technology is expected to become fully operational by mid-2026 and could be used for monitoring birds and marine mammals at offshore wind farms in France and elsewhere in Europe.
Photo credit: Iberdrola
