Photo: M. Papadopoulou | University of Groningen
Collisions between birds and aircraft, known as bird strikes, kill thousands of birds each year and can damage aircraft and delay or even cancel flights, costing the International Civil Aviation Organization an estimated $1.4 billion each year. Airport wildlife management teams use various deterrents, including drones and birds of prey, to scare birds away. In the Netherlands, the University of Groningen has been working on robotic peregrine falcons. During tests in 2019, the RobotFalcon successfully deterred all flocks from fields within five minutes of starting its flight, and was superior to a drone. However, it must be piloted by trained pilots, cannot fly in rain or strong winds, has a 15-minute battery life, and doesn’t deter larger species such as geese or herons. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, there were over 17,000 wildlife strikes at 753 US airports in 2019.
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