Avian alert - A bird migration early warning system

Paper number

IAC-08.B4.4.A2

Author

Mr. Hans van Gasteren, Royal Netherlands Air Force, The Netherlands

Coauthor

Dr. Judy Shamoun-Baranes, Universiteit van Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Coauthor

Mr. Amnon Ginati, European Space Agency (ESA), The Netherlands

Coauthor

Mr. Giovanni Garofalo, European Space Agency (ESA), The Netherlands

Year

2008

Abstract

Every year billions of birds migrate from breeding areas to their wintering ranges, some travelling over 10,000 km. Stakeholders interested in aviation flight safety, spread of disease, conservation, education, urban planning, meteorology, wind turbines and bird migration ecology are interested in information on bird movements. Collecting and disseminating useful information about such mobile creatures exhibiting diverse behaviour is no simple task. However, ESA’s Integrated Application Promotion (IAP) programme may provide the solution with its system of systems philosophy, integrating space (Telecommunication, Navigation, Remote Sensing and Meteorology) assets in combination with terrestrial systems. FlySafe sustainable services could provide access to various existing radar systems and observation networks collecting information on bird migration, tracking of individual birds, enhancement of existing technologies, modelling tools, improved access to environmental data and web services.

In the present situation radar measurements of birds are not comparable between countries and are covering only a part of Europe. One of the main motivations for air forces to participate in ESA FlySafe is to reduce the number of damaging bird strikes without unbalanced interference with the operations. This can be reached by automatic generation of ad-hoc warnings and timely reliable predictions of increased bird strike hazard. The aim of FlySafe is to develop such a bird warning system of systems in Europe. Currently four air forces (Germany, France, Belgium and The Netherlands), several research and academic institutes as well as industrial partners are participating in this initiative.

This paper deals with bird detection by different radar sensors, simultaneous measurements conducted between a dedicated bird radar, three weather radars and two long-range military surveillance radars as well as their calibration. In addition, the movements of individual birds are tracked globally from space. Finally, the prediction in both time and space of bird migration within the measurement area will be discussed.

Abstract document

IAC-08.B4.4.A2.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-08.B4.4.A2.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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