'Species-specific lighting' could help birds avoid aircraft
Scientists at the United States’ Purdue University have been investigating the use of light technology in helping to prevent collisions between aircraft and birds.
Bird–aircraft collisions can lead to human and bird mortality and cause substantial financial damage. One proposed solution to mitigate collisions is to equip aircraft with lights highly visible to the avian visual system.
The team chose to study Canada geese as they are routinely involved in damaging and costly bird strikes due to their size and flocking behaviour. Additionally, Canada goose population numbers have increased in urban areas where aircraft operations occur.
Using lights of high chromatic contrast tuned to the avian eye, the researchers approached their goose test subjects one by one with a drone to estimate how aircraft lighting and changes in altitude, mimicking the flight phase where most strikes occur, affect parameters associated with the probability of escape.
Light treatment during the tests had three levels: light-off, light-on steady and light-on pulsing (at 2 Hz). The light stimuli consisted of two of the Lume Cube RGB Panel Pro 2.0 (15.24 cm wide by 7.97 cm tall) connected with a threaded rod and attached to the drone. Each LED panel comprised 204 LEDs and emitted 595 lumens. Both LED panels were operated with the Lume Cube control app set to display a blue colour at 100% brightness, with a peak wavelength of 457 nm — selected because blue wavelengths were found to incite a consistent avoidance response by Canada geese upon repeated exposures.
The team’s findings, published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, were promising, with the onboard lights increasing the probability of the birds initiating an escape response and having enough time to escape. (No geese were harmed as a result of the experiment.)
The research has applications not only for helping to prevent bird–aircraft collisions, but also for mitigating the risk of birds crashing into wind turbines, solar facilities and buildings.
The paper is available at https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.250047.
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