Flight path of a Cape griffon

IdentiFlight system captures images of a Cape Griffon’s flight path in South Africa.

Dirk van der Walt

Dirk van der Walt, Founder of Roc Conservation Tech

LOUISVILLE, Colo., April 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Boulder Imaging has announced a partnership with Roc Conservation Tech to expand IdentiFlight's global reach and enhance wildlife conservation within the wind energy sector. With a shared commitment to bridging technology and environmental stewardship, Roc Conservation Tech will play a pivotal role in growing IdentiFlight’s presence and impact in South Africa’s renewable energy industry.

On the brink of a renewable energy revolution in South Africa, Roc Conservation Tech is uniquely positioned to assist as the country enters this transformational era by specializing in leveraging data science and engineering for conservation, with expertise in bird detection systems, conservation drones and environmental monitoring. The collaboration between the two companies will promote the IdentiFlight mission to help mitigate the cumulative impacts of wind energy on biodiversity. The IdentiFlight system operates with 99 percent accuracy and reduces bird fatalities in wind farms by more than 85 percent in 12 countries across five continents.

“The need for sustainable energy solutions comes with the responsibility to protect biodiversity,” said Dirk van der Walt, founder of Roc Conservation Tech. “South Africa’s wind energy sector is rapidly growing, yet it is home to diverse and vulnerable bird populations that require advanced conservation measures. Partnering with IdentiFlight to deploy these systems in South African wind farms will help ensure that renewable energy expansion in the region is both responsible and sustainable.”

“Strong partnerships are essential to Boulder Imaging’s mission and IdentiFlight’s continued growth,” said Don Mills, president and chief operating officer of Boulder Imaging. “By collaborating with Roc Conservation Tech, we are bringing a wealth of local expertise and resources to the South African market, enhancing our ability to efficiently and responsively serve our customers.”

Developed by Boulder Imaging, IdentiFlight is a state-of-the-art bird detection and informed curtailment system designed to mitigate the impact of wind energy projects on bird populations. Using advanced artificial intelligence and optical sensor technology, IdentiFlight detects, classifies and quantifies risks to sensitive bird species such as the Cape vulture, martial eagle, Verreaux’s eagle and blue crane. If collision risk meets a predetermined threshold, IdentiFlight provides temporary shut down on demand to impacted wind turbines – optimizing energy production while minimizing environmental impact.

The first South African IdentiFlight station was installed in June 2024. This system has already been trained to detect and classify more than 20 unique species with over 98 percent accuracy, including the Cape vulture, African marsh harrier and African fish eagle.

Join the Movement for Sustainable Wind Energy
To learn more about IdentiFlight’s innovative conservation technology, visit www.identiflight.com.
To collaborate on conservation and wind energy projects in South Africa, visit www.rocconservationtech.co.za.

About Boulder Imaging

Founded in 1995, Boulder Imaging develops and delivers innovative machine vision and artificial intelligence solutions that transform quality assurance. With unprecedented speed, accuracy and scalability, its inspection systems solve the toughest challenges in industries including architectural products, automotive, renewable energy, security paper and banknotes. Headquartered in Colorado, Boulder Imaging is committed to advancing machine vision technology to address complex inspection needs worldwide.

For more information, visit www.boulderimaging.com.

About Roc Conservation Tech

Roc Conservation Tech was founded on the vision of merging advanced technology with environmental conservation. Built on a foundation of control engineering and more than 20 years of industry experience, the company leverages data science and innovative technology to address complex environmental challenges. Specializing in bird detection systems, conservation drones and environmental monitoring, Roc Conservation Tech helps industries grow sustainably while protecting wildlife and preserving natural ecosystems.

For more information, visit www.rocconservationtech.co.za.

CONTACT INFORMATION
Tawney Eisenbraun
Marketing and Communications Manager
marketing@boulderimaging.com

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

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