Biomimetic drones directed by automatic pilot: fear as a sustainable method of avian pest control.

Published on November 12, 2017

Fear is the most powerful weapon of all emotions and is innate, that is, it is not a learned behavior. All animals suffer: even insects. We use the predator that most fears, even extinct. The important thing is that it has not disappeared from its evolutionary memory. We have deciphered their perception of fear and we have converted it into algorithms and digital sentences with which we program the autopilot that we mix with the aritificial vision, imitating its predator successfully.

Bird pests are responsible for the loss of 25% of all crops in the world. In many cases they prevent farmers from exporting to local markets. It is not only about the depredation and intake of fruits, grains and fish, but it also spreads pests of fungi, viruses, insects and ectoparasites through their beaks, feathers and legs. Faeces and regurgitations transmit to fish more than 15 different types of diseases. These drones are already commercialized and are profitable in 90% of all agricultural and aquaculture crops in the world because they effectively protect large areas and it is the small farmers who join to use them. They are very robust and are designed for hard agricultural work. Currently we are working to incorporate artificial vision with automatic persecution capacity in order to increase fear and improve its effectiveness: as it happens in nature. It is a simple system of use and ornithological or piloting knowledge is not necessary. It is enough with a charged battery and pressing a button for the drone to take off, simulate attacks and chases and land automatically. This invention has solved a global problem in a sustainable way. In addition to its applications in agriculture and aquaculture, it solves problems in the historical patrimony, maritime walks and in all those places where birds create problems or generate economic losses. In addition, it loyalizes the rural population, gives prestige to the worker and offers opportunities to the traditionally most disadvantaged population, such as women. This technology has been tested in Europe and South America but new fields of research must be opened to be tested in all pests in order to universalize technology and make it accessible to the whole world.