Engineers at the California Institute of Technology have developed an algorithm that uses a single drone to redirect a flock of birds away from an airport. Associate Professor and Jet Propulsion Laboratory Research Scientist, Soon-Jo Chung, created the algorithm with his colleagues in response to the “Miracle on the Hudson” incident. In 2009, US Airways Flight 1549 was forced to ditch in the Hudson River after flying into a flock of Canada Geese shortly after takeoff from New York’s LaGuardia Airport.
Caltech Engineers Develop Algorithm to Repel Birds Using Drones
Key Takeaways:
- Engineers at Caltech have developed an algorithm that enables a single drone to safely redirect flocks of birds away from airports, a solution motivated by incidents like the "Miracle on the Hudson."
- The algorithm works by strategically positioning the drone to influence birds at the edge of a flock, initiating a ripple effect that changes the direction of the entire group without causing panic or scattering.
- Successfully tested in Korea where one drone managed dozens of birds, the team plans to further develop the project to allow multiple drones to control multiple flocks.
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