RoBird® is the most effective bird deterrent strategy for preventing crop damage
AERIUM’s drone technology supports agricultural operations across North America for fruit crops that are damaged by birds.
Our proprietary drone, RoBird®, can creatively and sustainably manage bird interactions at key crop locations, particularly at critical junctures during the growing season.
Fruit loss to birds is a long-standing and costly problem for many producers, including wineries. Crop offtake is the primary revenue source of any operation and needs to be of the highest quality and quantity. In addition to outright consumption, birds damage fruit, leading to increased susceptibility to other pests and pathogens, and reduced product quality. The tremendous effect that wildlife can have on these high yielding fruit crops is often overlooked yet can be devastating.
According to the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, damage affects upwards of 35% of small berry production. This includes whole fruit being consumed, fruit knocked off bushes or canes, and unsalable fruit (due to pecks, holes, and slashes).
Growers tend to use auditory or visual deterrent control methods including propane guns and scarecrows. However, birds are intelligent. So intelligent that they habituate to these deterrents after repeated exposure, making these deterrents less and less effective the longer they are used.
These tools also have limited protection coverage for large open areas, like farmland, and require constant maintenance.
The following data was captured by the International Association for the Plant Protection Sciences in a report that monitored crop loss with traditional methods of wildlife management across 45,000 acres in Oregon in 2018.
A crop of grapes on 13,000 acres. Assuming earnings per acre of US$6,279 a 10% yield loss would equate to over $20 million.
The report estimated aggregate bird damage at almost US$200 million.
RoBird® – revolutionizing wildlife management
The most consistently effective bird hazing tool is a bird’s own natural enemy. RoBird® is a flapping-wing drone that mimics an actively hunting, female peregrine falcon.
Regarded as one of the most recognized and feared of all birds of prey around the globe, RoBird® naturally, humanely, and safely leverages the characteristics of the peregrine falcon to scatter and reduce bird interactions with horticultural crops.
RoBird®’s lifelike motion, high visibility, and ability to change flight paths triggers natural avian flight or fight responses, which in turn makes birds steer clear of valuable crops.
Wildlife can be unpredictable, but it doesn’t have to be:
Our in-house team of experts continues to automate and integrate technological solutions. In coming years RoBird® will achieve full automation with independent take-off, flight, deterrence, and landing capabilities with minimal manual pilot intervention.
As AERIUM rapidly expands across North America we are developing training and hardware solutions to provide economical opportunities for growers to add RoBird® to their fleets and wildlife mitigation strategies.
Interested in learning more about operating your own RoBird® fleet?
Safely reduce bird interactions with crops
Balance business needs with economics and environmental stewardship
Help crop owners to profitably maintain their marketable yields
RoBird® has been deployed in various settings thousands of times.
Our drive for constant innovation and collaboration is core to our vision. We are industry-leading problem solvers addressing complex situations through drone technology.
We are proud of our close client and industry partnerships. Our partners include organizational industry leaders, key regulatory bodies, research institutions, and more.
