Mechanical Falcon Keeps Bird Pests At Bay

Mechanical Falcon Keeps Bird Pests At Bay BIRD CONTROL Bird Control 26-4-10 While trying to come up with a way to control bird pests that would be effective but didn't involve shooting or poisoning, Wilfred Emonts was inspired by the sight of a flying toy bird. Emonts, who lives in Tottenham, Ontario, is a professional falconer. He's spent more than 20 years using falcons to scare problem birds away from nearby Toronto's Pearson International Airport. It's a never-ending battle and the pest birds often get so used to falcons being around that they fly just far enough away from the airport to be safe. Once the falcons are gone, the birds come right back again. Toy birds, called ornithopters, fly by flapping their wings like a real bird. After seeing one, Emonts started working with Sean Kinkade, an ornithopter expert, to design a radio-controlled robotic hawk that works and looks like the real thing. Emonts calls his mechanical bird Robofalcon, and he formed Intercept Technologies to produce and market it. Robofalcon gets all its lift and thrust from its wings, while the tail is the rudder and elevator. It can be powered by either a gasoline engine or electric motor. It uses parts similar to other remote-controlled toys. The steering mechanism comes from a remote-controlled boat, which allows the wings to be locked in place so the Robofalcon can soar. It flies like a hawk, soars like a hawk, and looks enough like a hawk to scare bird pests away the airport. Because it's radio-controlled from the ground, Robofalcon can be made to fly and turn in pursuit of a specific bird or group of birds. It can swoop low, flap its wings to regain height, and then soar overhead ù all just like a real hawk or hunting falcon. The operator can chase birds as long or as far as the radio signal and their line of sight will let them. Unlike other radio-controlled aircraft, Robofalcon doesn't need a runway. "That's the great thing about Robofalcon. You can launch it by hand no matter where you're standing," Emonts says. "It flaps and you just give it a toss. We land them on their bellies with their wings up." While the current model works great, Emonts is working on making Robofalcon even more realistic. One goal is to refine the controls to the point where it will be able to light and perch on a building. Intercept Technologies offers Robofalcon in various sizes, from a Peregrine Falcon (for small birds like starlings) to a Golden Eagle (for larger birds like turkey vultures). Rather than selling them, Emonts leases his robotic falcons to airports, golf courses and landfills. He says they'd also be helpful in keeping bird pests away from high-value small-acreage crops. "We lease them for the time period you require and provide training and maintenance. By the time we complete the training, your Robofalcon is assembled and ready to use," Emonts says. Lease fees are determined by the length of the lease and the amount of use per month. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Wilfred Emonts, Intercept Technologies, P.O. Box 7000, Tottenham, Ontario L0G 1W0 (ph (toll-free) 866 510-4572; fax (toll-free) 866 510-4577; E-mail: info@intercept-technologies.com; Website: intercept-technologies.com).

To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click here to register with your account number.