Cerulean Winds has completed a series of 72 digital aerial surveys (DAS) for its proposed Aspen, Beech, and Cedar offshore wind projects off the coast of Scotland, marking a key step in advancing the developments toward environmental approval.
The surveys, carried out between April 2023 and March 2025 by HiDef Surveying, covered a total area of 2,784 square kilometres—roughly equivalent to the combined area of Perth, Kinross, and Angus. The work was conducted using fixed-wing aircraft equipped with ultra-high-resolution digital imaging technology to gather ecological data required for regulatory assessments.
The data will feed into the Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) needed for the consenting phase of the developments, supporting compliance with both UK and European environmental regulations. The findings are also intended to inform sustainable planning decisions, including the placement of turbines and associated infrastructure.
“The completion of this best-in-class work, delivered at scale, is another milestone in the development of the UK’s floating offshore wind industry,” said Dan Jackson, Founding Director of Cerulean Winds. “The HiDef team have provided the accurate data we need to make our projects as sustainable as possible.”
Survey work began shortly after Cerulean secured seabed rights through the INTOG (Innovation and Targeted Oil & Gas) leasing round in March 2023. The early start allowed the company to accelerate environmental data collection and maintain momentum in its project timelines.
Cerulean Winds is now preparing to submit the EIA for the Aspen site, the first of its three proposed floating wind developments. The Aspen project is expected to have a capacity of 1 gigawatt and forms part of the company’s plan to eventually deploy up to 300 turbines across the three sites. Once operational, these projects are intended to contribute to the UK government’s target of reaching 50 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030.
