Methods and systems for directing birds away from equipment

Abstract

A system for directing a bird away from equipment includes an item of equipment and a detector configured to detect a bird that could be harmed by or that could harm the equipment and to determine the proximity of the bird to the equipment. The system also includes an unmanned aerial vehicle and a pilot system configured to control the unmanned aerial vehicle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for directing a bird, comprising:
 detecting the bird by a detection system; and   in response to detecting the bird, operating an unmanned aerial vehicle to direct the flight of the bird.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the detection system is an on-board detection system on the unmanned aerial vehicle. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the detection system uses at least one of radar, LIDAR, a camera, or ultrasonic detection and ranging. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the detection system is an off-board detection system from the unmanned aerial vehicle. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising navigating the unmanned aerial vehicle to inhibit the bird from flying. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising navigating the unmanned aerial vehicle to inhibit the bird from flying toward an undesired location. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising navigating the unmanned aerial vehicle to direct the bird away from an undesired trajectory. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising navigating the unmanned aerial vehicle to direct the bird to fly in a desired trajectory. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising interacting with the bird using a stimulus to direct the bird. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising projecting a substance toward the bird to direct the bird. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising navigating the unmanned aerial vehicle wherein the navigating comprises robotically navigating the unmanned aerial vehicle to interact with the bird. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising navigating the unmanned aerial vehicle wherein the navigating comprises a second unmanned aerial vehicle to detect the bird. 
     
     
         13 . A system for directing a bird, comprising:
 an emitter configured to generate a gradient field;   wherein the gradient field is configured to influence the flight path of the bird.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the gradient field is configured to at least one of attract or repel the bird. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , further comprising a director configured to direct the gradient field toward the bird. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the gradient field is a function of at least one of intensity or frequency. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the gradient field comprises at least one of a beam of light or a beam of sound. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the gradient field comprises a material field. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the gradient field is a function of at least one of time or space. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 13 , further comprising a first gradient field extending in a first direction and a second gradient field extending in a second direction. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the gradient field comprises a steering field. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the emitter deploys different gradient fields in response to a distance of the bird from a first location. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the emitter is configured to change the intensity of the gradient field to direct the bird. 
     
     
         24 . A method for directing a bird, comprising:
 generating a gradient field with an emitter; and   deploying the gradient field to influence the flight path of the bird.   
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the gradient field is configured to at least one of repel the bird or attract the bird. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the gradient field is a function of at least one of intensity or frequency. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the gradient field comprises at least one of a beam of light or a beam of sound. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the gradient field comprises a material field. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising deploying the gradient field as a function of at least one of time or space. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the gradient field comprises a first gradient field extending in a first direction and a second gradient field extending in a second direction. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the gradient field comprises a steering field. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising deploying a second gradient field such that the first and second gradient fields cooperatively create a preferred flight path for the bird. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising increasing an intensity of the gradient field in an area away from which the bird is being directed. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising decreasing an intensity of the gradient field in an area toward which the bird is being directed. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising deploying different gradient fields based on a range of the bird from a first location.