Robot falcon better than drones at clearing flight paths

Press/Media: ResearchPopular

Description

Researchers have worked out a way to get pesky flocks of birds in a flap - the RobotFalcon.
Collisions between birds and airplanes can damage aircraft, resulting in delays and cancellation of flights, costing the international civil aviation industry more than £1.2 billion annually.
The University of Groningen and partners, therefore, developed an artificial raptor, inspired specifically by a peregrine falcon.

Period6-Jun-2022 → 2-Nov-2023

Media coverage

14

Media coverage

  • TitleMeet robots on a mission to help birds
    Degree of recognitionInternational
    Media name/outletScience News Explores
    Media typeWeb
    Country/TerritoryUnited States
    Date02/11/2023
    DescriptionThese gadgets were inspired by the wildlife they were designed to benefit - Air-traffic control
    Producer/AuthorAaron Tremper
    URLhttps://www.snexplores.org/article/robots-mission-help-birds-tech-environment-ecology-habitat
    PersonsCharlotte Korinna Hemelrijk
  • TitleFalcão robótico mantém pássaros longe de aeroportos
    Degree of recognitionInternational
    Media name/outletReviltec
    Media typeWeb
    Country/TerritoryBrazil
    Date18/01/2023
    DescriptionColisões com pássaros são um problema sério para aeronaves comerciais, custando bilhões de dólares à indústria e matando milhares de animais todos os anos. Novas pesquisas mostram que uma imitação robótica de um falcão peregrino pode ser uma maneira eficaz de mantê-los fora das rotas de voo.
    URLhttps://www.reviltec.com.br/falcao-robotico-mantem-passaros-longe-de-aeroportos.html
    PersonsCharlotte Korinna Hemelrijk
  • TitleNew robotic falcon scares birds out of the way of planes - Making the skies even friendlier
    Degree of recognitionInternational
    Media name/outletGoodnet | Gateway to doing good
    Media typeWeb
    Country/TerritoryUnited States
    Date11/12/2022
    DescriptionMankind has always been interested in taking to the skies and flying as free as the birds. Now people can travel on airplanes that soar in the air, usually above the birds. But sometimes not. .Birds have been a problem for airplanes since the beginning of aviation. According to CNN, collisions between birds and airplanes kill over 10,000 birds a year and endanger airplanes. But now there is a solution.
    URLhttps://www.goodnet.org/articles/new-robotic-falcon-scares-birds-out-way-planes
    PersonsRolf Storms
  • TitleCientistas criam drone em formato de falcão para afastar pássaros de aeroportos
    Degree of recognitionInternational
    Media name/outletIstoÉ
    Media typeWeb
    Country/TerritoryBrazil
    Date25/11/2022
    DescriptionNa Holanda, um predador robótico é projetado para ajudar a evitar colisões de aviões com pássaros. No Brasil, incidentes com animais somam mais de dois mil por ano.
    Producer/AuthorElba Kriss
    URLhttps://istoe.com.br/um-drone-falcao-para-limpar-o-ceu/
    PersonsRolf Storms
  • TitleHalcón robótico para alejar aves de los aeropuertos
    Degree of recognitionInternational
    Media name/outletCanal 22
    Media typeWeb
    Country/TerritoryMexico
    Date24/11/2022
    DescriptionLos impactos con aves son un grave problema para los aviones, costándole a la industria millones de dólares y muertes de miles de animales cada año. 
    Una nueva investigación muestra que, una imitación robótica de un halcón peregrino podría ser una forma efectiva de mantenerlos fuera de las rutas de vuelo.
    Producer/AuthorRedacción/CDMX
    URLhttps://noticias.canal22.org.mx/2022/11/24/halcon-robotico-alejar-aves-earopuertos/
    PersonsCharlotte Korinna Hemelrijk
  • TitleRobotic falcon keeps birds away from airports - Is its large silhouette the real scare factor?
    Degree of recognitionInternational
    Media name/outletIEEE Spectrum
    Media typeWeb
    Country/TerritoryUnited States
    Date06/11/2022
    DescriptionCollisions with birds are a serious problem for commercial aircraft, costing the industry billions of dollars and killing thousands of animals every year. New research shows that a robotic imitation of a peregrine falcon could be an effective way to keep them out of flight paths.
    Producer/AuthorEdd Gent
    URLhttps://spectrum.ieee.org/bird-drone-falcon-airport-safety
    PersonsMarina Papadopoulou, Charlotte Korinna Hemelrijk, Rolf Storms
  • TitleThis robotic falcon is the future of pest control
    Degree of recognitionInternational
    Media name/outletThe Daily Beast
    Media typeWeb
    Country/TerritoryUnited States
    Date01/11/2022
    DescriptionA wildlife strike is when an animal (typically a bird) hits an airplane as it’s taking off, flying, or landing. (Think Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger’s “Miracle on the Hudson”) About 16,000 wildlife strikes occur each year in the U.S.—posing an abnormally large risk to pilots and passengers. While most prevention methods involve delaying takeoff or landing until bird activity dies down, it can cause disruptions to already strained flight schedules and systems.
    Producer/AuthorTony Ho Tran
    URLhttps://www.thedailybeast.com/this-robotic-falcon-is-the-future-of-pest-control
    PersonsRolf Storms
  • TitleFalkendrohne räumt das Flugfeld frei
    Degree of recognitionInternational
    Media name/outletc't Magazin für Computertechnik
    Media typePrint
    Duration/Length/Sizec’t 25/2022, p 41
    Country/TerritoryGermany
    Date01/11/2022
    DescriptionMit der Silhouette eines Wanderfalken verjagt RobotFalcon Vögel schneller und nachhaltiger als eine simple Drohne. Bilder der Kamera am Falkenkopf zeigen den Aufruhr der aufgescheuchten Schwärme.
    URLhttps://www.heise.de/select/ct/2022/25/2230810381891862233
    PersonsCharlotte Korinna Hemelrijk
  • TitleRobô voador que imita falcão é usado para espantar bandos de pássaros
    Degree of recognitionInternational
    Media name/outletRevista Planeta
    Media typeWeb
    Country/TerritoryBrazil
    Date28/10/2022
    DescriptionUm robô voador que se assemelha a um falcão pode ser usado para espantar bandos de pássaros nos campos, tendo um desempenho melhor nessa tarefa do que um drone padrão.
    URLhttps://www.revistaplaneta.com.br/robo-voador-que-imita-falcao-e-usado-para-espantar-bandos-de-passaros/
    PersonsRolf Storms
  • TitleThe robotic falcon designed to help prevent bird strikes
    Degree of recognitionInternational
    Media name/outletCNN Travel
    Media typeWeb
    Country/TerritoryUnited States
    Date27/10/2022
    DescriptionAirplanes and birds have been sharing the skies since the first ever flight back in 1903.
    However, to say this has led to some issues, particularly over the last few decades, is something of an understatement.
    Collisions between birds and aircraft are the cause of thousands of bird deaths every year.
    Such incidents, known as bird strikes, can also result in aircraft damage, as well as delays and cancellation of flights, costing the International Civil Aviation Organization a reported $1.4 billion each year.
    Airport wildlife management teams currently employ a number of deterrents, such as drones and birds of prey -- including falcons -- to try to scare birds away from the airport surroundings. However, breeding and training falcons isn't exactly cheap, and the birds can be difficult to manage.
    But could a robotic peregrine falcon developed by the University of Groningen in the Netherlands be the solution?
    Producer/AuthorTamara Hardingham-Gill
    URLhttps://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/the-robotic-falcon-designed-to-help-prevent-bird-strikes-scn/index.html
    PersonsRolf Storms, Marina Papadopoulou
  • TitleFalcão róbotico é projetado para ajudar a evitar colisões de aviões com pássaros
    Degree of recognitionInternational
    Media name/outletCNN Brasil
    Media typeWeb
    Country/TerritoryBrazil
    Date27/10/2022
    DescriptionAviões e pássaros compartilham os céus desde o primeiro voo em 1903. No entanto, dizer que isso levou a alguns problemas, principalmente nas últimas décadas, é um eufemismo.
    Producer/AuthorTamara Hardingham-Gill
    URLhttps://www.cnnbrasil.com.br/tecnologia/falcao-robotico-e-projetado-para-ajudar-a-evitar-colisoes-de-avioes-com-passaros/
    PersonsCharlotte Korinna Hemelrijk
  • TitleRobot falcon better than drones at clearing flight paths
    Degree of recognitionInternational
    Media name/outletThe Times
    Media typeWeb
    Country/TerritoryUnited Kingdom
    Date26/10/2022
    DescriptionA fibreglass mechanical falcon is better than drones at clearing birds from flight paths, a study has found.
    The RobotFalcon, a device designed to mimic the movements of a peregrine falcon, was developed by researchers at the University of Groningen, in the Netherlands, to deter flocks of birds flying round airports.
    Producer/AuthorAli Mitib
    URLhttps://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/robot-falcon-better-than-drones-at-clearing-flight-paths-mf8sk3bkh
    PersonsRolf Storms
  • Title‘Robo-raptor’ better than real birds of prey at protecting planes from pesky flocks
    Degree of recognitionInternational
    Media name/outletThe Telegraph
    Media typeWeb
    Country/TerritoryUnited Kingdom
    Date26/10/2022
    DescriptionThe RobotFalcon has been designed to resemble and mimic the movements of a peregrine falcon, the swiftest animal in the world
    Producer/AuthorSarah Knapton
    URLhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2022/10/26/robo-raptor-better-real-birds-prey-protecting-planes-pesky-flocks/
    PersonsRolf Storms
  • TitleRobotic peregrine falcon can scare birds away from crop fields
    Degree of recognitionInternational
    Media name/outletNew Scientist
    Media typeWeb
    Country/TerritoryUnited Kingdom
    Date06/06/2022
    DescriptionA flying robot inspired by peregrine falcons offers a non-lethal method for scaring flocks of birds from crop fields
    Producer/AuthorCarissa Wong
    URLhttps://www.newscientist.com/article/2322830-robotic-peregrine-falcon-can-scare-birds-away-from-crop-fields/
    PersonsRolf Storms

Media contributions

1

Media contributions

  • TitleFlying robotic falcon scares away flocks of birds
    Degree of recognitionInternational
    Media name/outletNew Scientist
    Media typeYouTube
    Country/TerritoryUnited Kingdom
    Date28/10/2022
    DescriptionA flying robot that resembles a peregrine falcon can be used to scare away flocks of birds in fields, performing better at this task than a standard drone.

    RobotFalcon resembles a peregrine falcon in size, shape and colouration with a wingspan of 70 centimetres, weighs 245 grams and flies at 15 metres per second. It was created by Rolf Storms at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands and colleagues. To test its efficiency, the researchers conducted trials on 54 separate flocks. RobotFalcon was able to clear all the targeted birds within 5 minutes, while a standard drone could only clear 80 per cent of the birds in 56 separate flocks over the same time period.

    RobotFalcon could replace traditional bird deterrents including scarecrows, recordings of bird distress calls or lethal approaches, such as guns. However, the current prototype has a battery life of just 15 minutes and requires a human operator. In the future, the control mechanism could be automated to reduce the need for human intervention.
    Producer/AuthorNew Scientist
    URLhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOohv_bTiu8
    PersonsRolf Storms