A recent article in The Economist describes the use of a sonic net to repel birds from airports. This reduces the chance of a bird hitting an aircraft – known as ‘bird-strike’ in the aviation industry – and the associated risk to passengers and equipment.
Turns out the gear used…. was Technomad. From the original article in the scientific journal Ecological Applications we read that Technomad Berlin outdoor loudspeakers and waterproof PowerChiton amplifiers were used to create the Sonic Net.
The system projects approximately 80 dB of broad spectrum sound over the target area, and dramatically reduces the presence of many species of bird. The authors speculate that the reason the sound repels birds is not by scaring them (as with ‘startle’ systems that occasionally play loud surprising sounds) but rather by making it hard for them to communicate. The Sonic Net makes birds unable to make out each other’s calls, so they move away to an area where they CAN communicate.
The research by Dr John Swaddle suggests that broad spectrum sound masking may be very effective at reducing dangerous bird populations near airports, and may also be effective at reducing crop losses.
With our line of waterproof, field deployable amplifiers, broad spectrum waterproof loudspeakers, and automatic audio playback devices, Technomad is well positions to support these efforts.
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