Work on a contentious offshore wind turbine development opposed by Donald Trump is under way.
Drilling is taking place a few miles from the Aberdeenshire coast to validate the findings of early research.
The £230 million European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre (EOWDC) was approved by the Scottish Government in March.
Mr Trump complains that the 11-turbine project will spoil the view from his golf course north of Aberdeen and damage tourism.
Iain Todd, spokesman for the turbine test centre, said the work will help demonstrate potential for "innovative" turbine foundation designs.
"The geotechnical surveys, which are being conducted as part of the overall development process, will help us gain a further understanding of what is under the seabed and enable us to progress with foundation type selection and design," he said.
"The opportunity to incorporate next generation foundations into the EOWDC would further enhance the scheme's position as an industry-leading centre for accelerating the development of offshore wind and associated technology and innovations.
Lang Banks, director of environmental group WWF Scotland, said: "Donald Trump will probably spill his coffee when he hears that investigation work has begun on this offshore wind test facility. Despite his bluster, it's clear that Scotland has no intention of being held back in its renewables ambitions by the threat of his legal challenge.
"Giving the go-ahead to this development was the right decision, demonstrating that Scotland is serious about becoming a cleaner, greener, job-creating nation. The test facility will give Scotland the opportunity to tap into the huge wind resource around our coastline and potentially lead the world on offshore renewable technologies.
"Alongside energy-saving measures, offshore wind will have a critical role to play in helping Scotland reduce climate emissions as we phase out polluting fossil fuels and nuclear power."
The Trump Organisation is due to lodge its legal challenge to the offshore development next week at the Court of Session.
George Sorial, executive vice president, said: "It will set forth in the details our claims that the application violates many aspects of Scottish planning law and is a gross departure of standard practice."
He criticised the drilling work, saying it should have been done before any application was considered.
"If they were smart people, they would allocate resources to the legal challenge next week," he said.
The wrangle will damage the Scottish Government and in particular Alex Salmond whose constituency takes in the Menie Estate golf course development, Mr Sorial said.
The fight could influence views on the independence referendum next year, he said.
"As the details emerge of how the First Minister treated the Trump Organisation and how his ministers handled the EOWDC, they will be a source of embarrassment," he said.
"That's not something he wants to have to deal with in 2014."
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