On 21 September 2026, we discussed this question together with representatives from industry, research and public authorities at St Peter-Ording Airport. Focus was on the current state of the art, practical experience and the prospects for unmanned aerial systems in large-scale surveys at sea.
Following a welcome by our managing director, our colleagues from the Remote Sensing department presented the technical principles behind our long-range drones and shared their experiences from past projects. Drone-based data collection can open up new possibilities for large-scale ecological studies and complement existing methods of offshore environmental monitoring.
This was followed by a hands-on session: outside the hangar, participants were able to witness the pre-flight check first-hand and learn more about the technical and operational procedures involved in a drone mission. Unfortunately, the planned flight could not take place due to strong winds. A careful assessment of current conditions and safety are always the highest priorities in flight operations.
During the subsequent presentation of the drone as well as in one-to-one discussions, the focus was not only on the participants’ questions but also on future potential applications. Topics discussed included the role that unmanned aerial systems could play in the offshore area in the future and the technical and operational challenges that need to be taken into account.
Many thanks to all participants for their interest, their many questions and the valuable exchange of views in St Peter-Ording!
You can find further information about our remote sensing methods in our service descriptions.