On lower-altitude flight paths near airports, there are chances of planes colliding with birds, the result of which can be catastrophic. Though to spot birds, radar and infrared detectors are already present, they cannot tell a large bird and could lead to serious damage from the small, low-risk ones.
So, to help protect birds from getting killed and planes from crashing, here is a more advanced technology developed by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology, in Maryland — an ‘audio telescope’ capable of identifying different bird species by their calls.
Nearly 2 meters across, an array of 192 microphones is arranged on the ground in concentric circles. It picks up the sound coming from distant birds. The ‘audio telescope’ can also be trained on a flock of birds after they are spotted using a radar or infrared detector.
This technology can not only prevent damage to aircrafts but also protect several bird species from disappearance.
