HiDef Aerial Surveying Limited today received a royal visit from HRH Princess Anne at its head office in Cleator Moor, Cumbria. She was introduced to staff members and shown how the innovative technique for counting seabirds and mammals at sea has completely changed established methods. The system was developed with the support of the directors of React Engineering, who she also visited today, helping to build the company from the ground to become the global leaders in offshore wildlife surveys.
The HiDef method is used at most offshore wind farms for characterising and monitoring wildlife and Princess Anne was shown the technique for reviewing video footage and how to identify birds and marine mammals by HiDef’s staff. The company has become an important employer in the area and provides training for younger staff members through apprenticeships.
HiDef Managing Director Andy Webb said today “It was an honour to be selected by the Royal Household for this visit and is testament to the hard work that the staff have put into building this company up from the ground ten years ago”. He added “Her Royal Highness was very attentive and inquisitive and was fascinated by how much detail it is possible to obtain from video footage taken at 1800 feet above the sea and by some of the unusual creatures we have witnessed. She was able to identify some birds herself.”
