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The US Army has developed robotic coyotes designed to protect airfield safety by scaring away birds and other wildlife that pose a threat to aircraft. The innovative robot uses plastic coyote dummies attached to four-wheeled Traxxas X-Maxx motorized cars, reaching speeds of up to 32 km/h. With advanced capabilities such as programmed routes and adaptability to rough terrain, the Coyote Rovers could revolutionize airfield safety measures by becoming an effective deterrent against birds and other wildlife.
The United States Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) is developing robotic coyotes called Coyote Rovers to protect airfield safety. The robots aim to replace traditional methods of scaring away birds and wildlife that pose a threat to aircraft and field operations. Bird strikes result in around $2 million worth of damages each year to US military airbases alone. The ERDC's robotics team designed four-wheeled cars with plastic coyote dummies attached, which were tested at various military airfields. The ultimate goal is to equip the robo-coyotes with advanced capabilities and revolutionize airfield safety measures.
The United States Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) has been working on a top-secret project to develop robotic coyotes designed to protect airfield safety. The innovative robot, called the Coyote Rovers, was created in collaboration with wildlife biologists Dr. Stephen Hammond and Dr. Jacob Jung from the US Department of Agriculture's National Wildlife Research Center (NWRC). The aim is to replace traditional methods used to scare away birds and other wildlife that pose a threat to aircraft and field operations.
One of the main problems for airfields is the presence of birds, which can cause significant damage to aircraft by being sucked into engines or slamming into windscreens. According to estimates, bird strikes result in around 2 million dollars worth of damages each year to US military airbases alone. The problem was first identified by the US Civil Air Administration in the 1940s when they realized that birds were a major hazard to commercial airliners.
To address this issue, various countermeasures have been employed over the years, including aerial drones, hawks, falcons, dogs, lights, and even gas-operated cannons. However, these methods have proven expensive and sometimes ineffective. The idea of using robotic coyotes arose from observing how wildlife reacts to a predator attack.
The ERDC's robotics team designed four-wheeled Traxxas X-Maxx motorized cars capable of reaching 20 mph (32 km/h) with plastic coyote dummies attached to the platforms. The robo-coyotes were tested at various military airfields, including Naval Air Station Pensacola in Florida, famous as the home of the Blue Angels aerobatics team, Fort Campbell in Tennessee, and Naval Air Station Whiting Field in Florida.
The prototypes seem simple but represent a significant step forward in using robotics to solve wildlife problems. The ultimate goal is to equip the robo-coyotes with advanced capabilities such as programmed routes, exclusion zones, adaptability to rough terrain, and long battery life. If successful, the Coyote Rovers could revolutionize airfield safety measures by becoming an effective deterrent against birds and other wildlife.
The use of robot coyotes raises intriguing questions about the future of robotics in military and civilian applications alike. The concept may inspire new solutions for security issues on land or sea and might be explored further in search of more efficient methods to manage wildlife threats.
In conclusion, the development of robotic coyotes by the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center marks an innovative step forward in protecting airfields from hazardous wildlife. By embracing cutting-edge robotics technology, the US military is poised to become better equipped to deal with a wide range of security issues on land and in the skies.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/The-Cybernetic-Coyote-How-the-US-Army-is-Using-Robotics-to-Protect-Airfields-from-Wildlife-ehn.shtml
https://newatlas.com/military/robot-coyotes-protect-airfields-adorable-cyber-ferocity/
Published: Thu Jul 10 01:52:42 2025 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
