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Drones Could Scare Birds Off Agricultural Fields


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A manually operated drone flies over a vineyard during tests for bird deterrence and fruit damage assessment.

Credit: WSU Agricultural Automation and Robotics Lab

An autonomous system developed by Washington State University (WSU) researchers can patrol agricultural fields around the clock to drive away birds that feed on the crops.

The system uses cameras to detect the presence of birds, and automatically deploys drones to scare them off.

Tests showed the drones' motion and whirring noises were sufficient to get the birds to depart, but WSU's Manoj Karkee observed, "We could make drones look like predators, or have reflective propellers that are really shiny. All of these working together would likely keep birds away from those vineyards and fields."

From Washington State University
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Abstracts Copyright © 2022 SmithBucklin, Washington, DC, USA


 

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