4 ms·

Now we just need to develop UAS's with eagle countermeasures. Lucky for us there is a compound that behaves like capsaicin does in humans but with birds. Methyl

by gene-h 10y ago

Now we just need to develop UAS's with eagle countermeasures. Lucky for us there is a compound that behaves like capsaicin does in humans but with birds. Methyl anthranilate[0], the chemical responsible for grape flavor in koolaid, bubble gum, and other food products, causes temporary painful sensations in avians. Oh and it is mostly harmless to avians and humans, it's a food product for crying out loud. Sadly it does not appear that food products contain high concentrations of methyl anthranilate, but methyl anthranilate can be purchased in large quantities as a bird repellant. So all we need to do to protect our UAS's is mount a MA fogger on them. So here's the neat thing, UAS's are nice sources of turbulent flow, a fact which the Yamaha Rmax helicopter exploits to better coat plants with pesticide[1]. This means if we inject MA fog into our UAS's prop wash we can attain optimal MA application on attacking avians. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methyl_anthranilate https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methyl_anthranilate [1] http://www.gizmag.com/go/2440/ http://www.gizmag.com/go/2440/

credit_guy 10y ago
A food product for crying out loud ... I see what you did there
partycoder 10y ago
I was thinking of the same thing. But unfortunately people flying drones for malicious reasons may not think in the best interest of the animals. They can make use of mace or something.
kinkora 10y ago
I think you need to define "mostly harmless". I will imagine that if a bird gets sprayed those chemicals mid-air, it will either drop to the ground or start flying erratically and collide into something mid-air which can cause death[1]. [1] I've seen a bird hit the side of my stationary car out of nowhere and it died on the spot.
- robhu 10y ago
  Similarly these birds are attacking drones midair which may cause them to spiral to the ground and be destroyed. It seems like fair game to build anti-bird defences in to your drone given that birds are being trained to attack them. Perhaps it will make these people think twice.
  - icebraining 10y ago
    If your drone gets damage, you should file a complaint against the bird owner. Otherwise, unless the birds are threatening actual people and not just property, it might be (and should be) a crime to deliberate install mechanisms to harm them.
  - sdoering 10y ago
    > "to spiral to the ground and be destroyed" That article stated, that these birds are able to bring the drone to the ground safely. > "It seems like fair game to build anti-bird defences..." [irony on] Yeah totally. [irony off] Because it is your right to fly your drone everywhere? To potentially endanger others? Let's say imagine these trained birds attacking your drone after it moving into the flight path of a landing aircraft. Or above a crowd at a festival, or above your neighbors garden. What if it fails and drops? What if it crashes into something (plane) or someone (human)? If someone would endanger me or my beloved ones (be it in a plane, at a festival or in my garden) by flying these things irresponsibly - believe me a drone would not be the only thing broken if I could get to them. If these birds are there to protect others from people using these things for malicious reasons or in a way that is just dumb (read idiots), I would hope that the owners of these things additionally get fined a horrendously high amount. And have to pay for the deployment of these countermeasure birds. Make the learning experience a painful one for them I would say. > Perhaps it will make these people think twice. I am with you on this one. OK; I think of the drone operators as "these people" but isn't this the same?
  - 7Z7 10y ago
    > Perhaps it will make these people think twice. About protecting restricted airspace?
- emsy 10y ago
  Colliding with something mid-air sounds more like an unfortunate event than a probable risk.
chongli 10y ago
Of course, a far simpler countermeasure would be to fly your drone for malicious purposes at night. As far as I know, there are no birds of prey that hunt other birds at night. Could owls be trained to take prey in the air despite being adapted to hunting rodents? I don't know.
- dTal 10y ago
  FYI: http://i.imgur.com/3TiGEw4.gifv http://i.imgur.com/3TiGEw4.gifv
  - chongli 10y ago
    Haha, that is crazy! It is a strike against a stationary target, however. I have yet to see an owl pick off another bird in flight. After all, why would any other bird be flying around in the dark?
cmrdporcupine 10y ago
Methyl anthranilate is present in pretty high concentrations in the fruit of grapevines descended from Vitis labrusca, a native grape species of northeastern North America. Concord, Niagara, and Delaware are some of the commonly available grape varieties that are crosses with v. labrusca and the "grapey" Welch's taste that some North Americans enjoy and most Europeans loathe comes mostly from the methyl anthranilate. Just sayin'
etendue 10y ago
Sorry to be a wet blanket, but in the US your proposal would likely result in charges for violating one of several "bird laws" such as the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act or Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Defending your property isn't sufficient justification for causing harm without the appropriate permits. Farmers for example are brought up on charges when they harm a bird of prey attacking their livestock, or when migratory birds are poisoned due to improper pesticide use.

by gene-h 10y ago

credit_guy 10y ago

A food product for crying out loud ... I see what you did there

partycoder 10y ago

I was thinking of the same thing. But unfortunately people flying drones for malicious reasons may not think in the best interest of the animals. They can make use of mace or something.

kinkora 10y ago

I think you need to define "mostly harmless". I will imagine that if a bird gets sprayed those chemicals mid-air, it will either drop to the ground or start flying erratically and collide into something mid-air which can cause death[1]. [1] I've seen a bird hit the side of my stationary car out of nowhere and it died on the spot.

robhu 10y ago
Similarly these birds are attacking drones midair which may cause them to spiral to the ground and be destroyed. It seems like fair game to build anti-bird defences in to your drone given that birds are being trained to attack them. Perhaps it will make these people think twice.
- icebraining 10y ago
  If your drone gets damage, you should file a complaint against the bird owner. Otherwise, unless the birds are threatening actual people and not just property, it might be (and should be) a crime to deliberate install mechanisms to harm them.
- sdoering 10y ago
  > "to spiral to the ground and be destroyed" That article stated, that these birds are able to bring the drone to the ground safely. > "It seems like fair game to build anti-bird defences..." [irony on] Yeah totally. [irony off] Because it is your right to fly your drone everywhere? To potentially endanger others? Let's say imagine these trained birds attacking your drone after it moving into the flight path of a landing aircraft. Or above a crowd at a festival, or above your neighbors garden. What if it fails and drops? What if it crashes into something (plane) or someone (human)? If someone would endanger me or my beloved ones (be it in a plane, at a festival or in my garden) by flying these things irresponsibly - believe me a drone would not be the only thing broken if I could get to them. If these birds are there to protect others from people using these things for malicious reasons or in a way that is just dumb (read idiots), I would hope that the owners of these things additionally get fined a horrendously high amount. And have to pay for the deployment of these countermeasure birds. Make the learning experience a painful one for them I would say. > Perhaps it will make these people think twice. I am with you on this one. OK; I think of the drone operators as "these people" but isn't this the same?
- 7Z7 10y ago
  > Perhaps it will make these people think twice. About protecting restricted airspace?
emsy 10y ago
Colliding with something mid-air sounds more like an unfortunate event than a probable risk.

chongli 10y ago

Of course, a far simpler countermeasure would be to fly your drone for malicious purposes at night. As far as I know, there are no birds of prey that hunt other birds at night. Could owls be trained to take prey in the air despite being adapted to hunting rodents? I don't know.

dTal 10y ago
FYI: http://i.imgur.com/3TiGEw4.gifv http://i.imgur.com/3TiGEw4.gifv
- chongli 10y ago
  Haha, that is crazy! It is a strike against a stationary target, however. I have yet to see an owl pick off another bird in flight. After all, why would any other bird be flying around in the dark?

cmrdporcupine 10y ago

Methyl anthranilate is present in pretty high concentrations in the fruit of grapevines descended from Vitis labrusca, a native grape species of northeastern North America. Concord, Niagara, and Delaware are some of the commonly available grape varieties that are crosses with v. labrusca and the "grapey" Welch's taste that some North Americans enjoy and most Europeans loathe comes mostly from the methyl anthranilate. Just sayin'

etendue 10y ago

Sorry to be a wet blanket, but in the US your proposal would likely result in charges for violating one of several "bird laws" such as the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act or Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Defending your property isn't sufficient justification for causing harm without the appropriate permits. Farmers for example are brought up on charges when they harm a bird of prey attacking their livestock, or when migratory birds are poisoned due to improper pesticide use.