ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) – The state says a headless robot the size of a Labrador retriever will be camouflaged with coyotes and foxes to scare away migratory birds and other wildlife at Alaska’s second-largest airport. announced by the authorities.
The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities announced the new robot, named Aurora, will be based at Fairbanks Airport to “enhance and enhance safety and operations,” the Anchorage Daily News reported. .
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The Department of Transportation released a video showing the robot climbing rocks, climbing stairs and performing dance-like moves while flashing green lights.
Ryan Marlow, program manager for the Alaska Department of Transportation, demonstrates the agency’s robotic dog on March 26, 2024 in Anchorage, Alaska. The device will be camouflaged by coyotes and foxes to scare away migratory birds and other wildlife at DOT, Alaska’s second-largest airport. Said. (Mark Lester/Anchorage Daily News, via AP)
These dance skills will be put to use during this fall’s migratory bird season, when the aurora imitates predator-like movements to keep birds and other wildlife from settling near the plane’s infield.
The plan calls for Aurora to patrol outdoor areas near runways every hour to prevent harmful encounters between planes and wildlife, said Ryan Marlowe, a program manager at the Department of Transportation. That’s what it means.
He said the robot can disguise itself as a coyote or fox by swapping out interchangeable panels.
“The sole purpose of this is to be able to act as a predator and evoke that response in the wild animal without using any other means,” Marlow told lawmakers last week.
Because the panels aren’t surreal, Marlowe said the agency stopped using animal fur to make the Aurora waterproof.
The idea to use robots came after authorities rejected plans to use flying drones to spray repellents containing grape juice.
Previous deterrent measures include the 1990s, when authorities released pigs into a lake near the Anchorage airport in hopes of eating waterfowl eggs near plane landing sites.
Marlow told the Anchorage newspaper that the trial period in Fairbanks will see how well the Aurora deters large animals and how elk and bears react to the robot. he said.
“Fairbanks is leading the nation in using the Northern Lights to reduce wildlife,” said a Fairbanks spokesperson. “Several airports across the country are deploying robots for a variety of tasks, including cleaning, security patrols, and customer service.” Daniel Tessen said in an email to The Associated Press. .
In Alaska, wildlife teams are now using loud noises, sometimes with paintball guns, to scare birds and other wildlife away from airstrips.
Last year, there were 92 animal strikes near airports across Alaska, including 10 in Fairbanks, according to a Federal Aviation Administration database.
While most attacks did not damage the aircraft, Marlow said the encounter could be expensive and dangerous in rare cases where the bird could be sucked into the engine and cause a crash. .
In 1995, an AWACS jet crashed into a flock of geese at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage, killing 24 people.
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Marlow said if the experiment is successful, officials could send similar robots to smaller airports in Alaska, which could be more cost-effective than hiring a human deterrent team. .
Aurora can be controlled from a table, computer or automated schedule, and will always be accompanied by a human handler. You can move through rain and snow.
Boston Dynamics’ robot cost about $70,000 and was paid for with a federal grant.
