Remote

Bird
Sensing
Technologies
Presented By
Zulfiqar Ali Mirani
Senior Electronics Engineer
Civil Aviation Training Institute,
Hyderabad - Pakistan
Bird Detection and Information Systems

 Thermal Imaging
 Night Vision Equipment
 Acoustic Monitoring
 Bird Detection Radars

 Bombing and Weapons Range (BAM)

 Avian Hazard Advisory System (AHAS)
Thermal Imaging
Thermal imaging cameras collect the long
wave Infra Red (IR) radiation emitted by the
body heat of a bird and focusing it at an IR
sensitive sensor to produce an image.

The Thermal Imaging equipment can produce

a clear image of a single bird such as goose or
swan at a range of two miles.
Night Vision Equipment
Night vision equipments are used for making
survey of birds on airports at night, particularly
when the airfield is active and spotlights may
scare birds into the path of aircraft.

The information is obtained by a device called

“image intensifier”; which uses Infra Red light.
The signals received are amplified to create an
image visible to human eye.

Large birds are visible to 500ft or more against

starlit nights.

Light colored birds that reflect infra red light

better than dark or black birds are visible even at
longer ranges.
Acoustic Monitoring
This is a valuable tool for surveying the migratory
behavior of birds.

In this technique sounds (or acoustic signals) of

birds, as they generate while traveling to the
fields or during migration from one place to
another place, are intercepted and captured with
acoustic monitoring equipments to identify such
type of birds passing through an area.

This way detailed information of bird activity in

an area can be created by means of acoustic
monitoring.
Bird Detection Radars
By applying radio waves bird activities can be found in real
time particularly at night, at high altitudes and during
inclement weather. For that matter Radar can be an
appropriate and effective tool for collecting electronic data
of bird activities.

Specially designed Bird Detection Radar or Weather

Surveillance Radar with small modifications particularly in
the data filtering section can be used for this application.

Main Functions of Bird Detection Radar are:

 Detection of flocks of birds in the air

 Tracking the flight paths of birds
 Providing real-time data to help airport management,
air traffic services (ATS) and flight crews to carry out
their operations.
The radars send input data directly into desktop computers. Where it is
processed and filtered out to recognize characteristics of a radar blip as
an airplane, weather map, or a bird.
Types of Bird Detection Radar
 NEXRAD (WSR-88D)
 Avian Radar
NEXRAD ( WSR-88D )
NEXt Generation Weather RADar is the latest
version of Weather Surveillance Radar 1988
Doppler (WSR-88D) which was designed primarily
to detect and observe significant and hazardous
weather events but are also able to detect
airborne avian targets.

The system actually filters the weather out of the

picture leaving behind avian targets.
NEXRAD Information Distribution System

The NIDS data is processed under latest

algorithms to remove precipitation from the
data stream instead of previous techniques that
used algorithms to identify bird targets directly.

In addition to the Doppler radar, a S-band

surveillance radar and an X-band vertical beam
radar are used for confirmation of bird targets.
Additionally thermal imagery camera is used
to identify bird targets during periods of low
visibility.
NIDS Data Processing and Representation

The image above has The image above is the

both weather and bird same as previous image
returns; the weather is but the weather has
in the upper left and been suppressed
the birds form the leaving behind only bird
central region of the targets.
image.
Mobile Avian Radar System (MARS)

MARS was first constructed for the

United States Air Force (USAF) in 1994
which was further developed and
improved for use by both military and
civil operations in 2000.

A number of Radars have been developed

so far, each having its own benefits
and drawbacks:

 X Band Surveillance Radar

 X Band Vercat Radar
 X Band Vertical Beam Radar
 X Band Conical Scan Radar
 S Band Surveillance Radar
The X Band Surveillance radar can be used
to obtain ground track data of birds over
the ground and are normally used to
detect bird movement within a 6nm
radius. Large birds can be detected to
8nm and large flocks have been detected
as far as 10nm.

The X Band “VERCAT” vertical scanning

radar are normally used to measure
altitude of bird movement to 8000-
12,000ft.
The X Band Vertical beam radar are normally used
to measure altitude of bird movement to 8000ft
and higher.

The X Band Conical scanning radar are normally

used to measure altitude of bird movement to
8000-12,000ft.

The S Band Surveillance radar is used to obtain

ground track data of birds over the ground and
are normally used to detect bird movement
within a 6nm radius. Large birds can be detected
to 14nm and large flocks have been detected as
far as 24nm!
Bird Information and Advisory systems

 BOMBING AND WEAPONS RANGE (BAM)

 Avian Hazard Advisory System (AHAS)
BOMBING AND WEAPONS RANGE (BAM)

BAM is a Geographic Information System (GIS) based

computer model for depicting the bird strike risks at low
altitudes.

It is used to forecast the level of risk present on an airfield at

any time based upon the historic levels of bird activity

The BAM documents the altitude and ground track of birds

collected from vertical and horizontal radars through
multiple years. Prediction of BAM is thus based on these
data collection. It also uses telemetry and other sensors to
describe the behavior of birds in the specified areas. Data
on bird populations and movement patterns is also
collected from relevant government and private sources.

It generates graphic risk surfaces for determining the relative

degree of hazard for any given location.
Avian Hazard Advisory System (AHAS)
AHAS represents a comprehensive method of remote sensing
of birds today. AHAS uses NEXRAD (WSR-88D) Weather
Radars to monitor bird activity in near real-time.

The function of AHAS is to reduce the hazards associated with

a bird strike. The forecasting of bird activity within AHAS is
divided into two groups; migratory and soaring birds.

The AHAS is linked via satellite with NEXRAD Information

Distribution System (NIDS) to obtain NEXRAD weather
radar data.

AHAS went fully operational in the United States in February

2000. US Air Force pilots and other aircrews use the
database of AHAS through an internet service. The only
input required by the pilot is the airspace, date and time.
The AHAS server performs all other processing and
database selection automatically. A civil version of AHAS is
under discussion/development.
The Bird Activity AHAS Monitor