Robird: A Robotic Bird of Prey

Abstract

Ever since the start of aviation, birds and airplanes have posed a mutual risk: Birds are killed when struck by aircraft, but, in return, bird strikes cause billions in damage to the aviation industry. Airports employ bird-control methods such as audiovisual deterrents (like scarecrows, lasers, and noise), weapons, and chemicals to relocate, suffocate, or otherwise terminate the birds [2]. While the latter methods work, they are ethically questionable. The problem of audiovisual deterrents is that they quickly lose effectiveness due to habituation. The approach that works consistently is the use of predator birds to scare off the prey birds and permanently relocate them away from runways. However, the predators themselves cannot be precisely controlled and, in turn, also pose a threat to airplanes.