remote bird sensing technologies presentation

8/14/2019 Remote Bird Sensing Technologies Presentation

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Remote

BirdSensing

TechnologiesPresented By

Zulfiqar Ali Mirani

Senior Electronics EngineerCivil Aviation Training Institute,

Hyderabad - Pakistan


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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)


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Thermal Imaging

Thermal imaging cameras collect the longwave Infra Red (IR) radiation emitted by thebody heat of a bird and focusing it at an IRsensitive sensor to produce an image.

The Thermal Imaging equipment can producea clear image of a single bird such as goose orswan at a range of two miles.


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Night Vision Equipment

Night vision equipments are used for making

survey of birds on airports at night, particularlywhen the airfield is active and spotlights mayscare 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 animage visible to human eye.

Large birds are visible to 500ft or more against

starlit nights.

Light colored birds that reflect infra red lightbetter than dark or black birds are visible even atlonger ranges.


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Acoustic Monitoring

This is a valuable tool for surveying the migratorybehavior of birds.

In this technique sounds (or acoustic signals) of

birds, as they generate while traveling to thefields or during migration from one place toanother place, are intercepted and captured withacoustic monitoring equipments to identify suchtype of birds passing through an area.

This way detailed information of bird activity inan area can be created by means of acousticmonitoring.


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Bird Detection Radars

By applying radio waves bird activities can be found in realtime particularly at night, at high altitudes and duringinclement weather. For that matter Radar can be anappropriate and effective tool for collecting electronic dataof bird activities.

Specially designed Bird Detection Radar or WeatherSurveillance Radar with small modifications particularly inthe 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 outtheir operations.


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The radars send input data directly into desktop computers. Where it isprocessed and filtered out to recognize characteristics of a radar blip asan airplane, weather map, or a bird.


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Types of Bird Detection Radar

NEXRAD (WSR-88D) Avian Radar


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NEXRAD ( WSR-88D )

NEXt Generation Weather RADar is the latestversion of Weather Surveillance Radar 1988Doppler (WSR-88D) which was designed primarilyto detect and observe significant and hazardousweather events but are also able to detect

airborne avian targets.

The system actually filters the weather out of the

picture leaving behind avian targets.


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NEXRAD Information Distribution System

The NIDS data is processed under latestalgorithms to remove precipitation from thedata stream instead of previous techniques thatused algorithms to identify bird targets directly.

In addition to the Doppler radar, a S-bandsurveillance radar and an X-band vertical beamradar are used for confirmation of bird targets.Additionally thermal imagery camera is used

to identify bird targets during periods of lowvisibility.


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The image above hasboth weather and bird

returns; the weather isin the upper left andthe birds form thecentral region of theimage.

The image above is thesame as previous image

but the weather hasbeen suppressedleaving behind only birdtargets.

NIDS Data Processing and Representation


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Mobile Avian Radar System (MARS)

MARS was first constructed for theUnited States Air Force (USAF) in 1994which was further developed andimproved for use by both military andcivil operations in 2000.

A number of Radars have been developedso far, each having its own benefitsand drawbacks:

X Band Surveillance Radar X Band Vercat Radar

X Band Vertical Beam Radar

X Band Conical Scan Radar

S Band Surveillance Radar


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The X Band Surveillance radar can be usedto obtain ground track data of birds overthe ground and are normally used todetect bird movement within a 6nm

radius. Large birds can be detected to8nm and large flocks have been detectedas far as 10nm.

The X Band VERCAT vertical scanningradar are normally used to measurealtitude of bird movement to 8000-12,000ft.


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The X Band Vertical beam radar are normally usedto measure altitude of bird movement to 8000ftand higher.

The X Band Conical scanning radar are normallyused to measure altitude of bird movement to8000-12,000ft.

The S Band Surveillance radar is used to obtain

ground track data of birds over the ground andare normally used to detect bird movementwithin a 6nm radius. Large birds can be detectedto 14nm and large flocks have been detected asfar as 24nm!


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Bird Information and Advisory systems

BOMBING AND WEAPONS RANGE (BAM)

Avian Hazard Advisory System (AHAS)


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BOMBING AND WEAPONS RANGE (BAM)

BAM is a Geographic Information System (GIS) basedcomputer model for depicting the bird strike risks at lowaltitudes.

It is used to forecast the level of risk present on an airfield atany time based upon the historic levels of bird activity

The BAM documents the altitude and ground track of birdscollected from vertical and horizontal radars throughmultiple years. Prediction of BAM is thus based on thesedata collection. It also uses telemetry and other sensors todescribe the behavior of birds in the specified areas. Dataon bird populations and movement patterns is alsocollected from relevant government and private sources.

It generates graphic risk surfaces for determining the relativedegree of hazard for any given location.


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Avian Hazard Advisory System (AHAS)AHAS represents a comprehensive method of remote sensing

of birds today. AHAS uses NEXRAD (WSR-88D) WeatherRadars to monitor bird activity in near real-time.

The function of AHAS is to reduce the hazards associated witha bird strike. The forecasting of bird activity within AHAS isdivided into two groups; migratory and soaring birds.

The AHAS is linked via satellite with NEXRAD InformationDistribution System (NIDS) to obtain NEXRAD weatherradar data.

AHAS went fully operational in the United States in February

2000. US Air Force pilots and other aircrews use thedatabase of AHAS through an internet service. The onlyinput required by the pilot is the airspace, date and time.The AHAS server performs all other processing anddatabase selection automatically. A civil version of AHAS isunder discussion/development.


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The Bird Activity AHAS Monitor


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remote bird sensing technologies presentation

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