Usecase Interreg Smart Farming & Food Processing

In certain crops, the damage caused by birds and pests is significant. Farmers typically use wild cannons, scarecrows, and hunters to chase away birds. While these methods add value, they cause noise pollution and/or have limited results due to habituation by the birds.

During this project a system will be developed that contains a drone, sensors for motion detection, and a deterrence mechanism to chase away the birds and pests. Furthermore, two AI algorithms will be developed. The first algorithm will use computer vision techniques to recognize the different birds in the field. The second algorithm will optimize random flight patterns to chase the birds away, which should ensure that habituation does not or hardly occurs.

Currenly, this project is still in its developmentphase. The aim is to use drone technology to chase away non-protected birds in vegetable and fruit cultivation. This can be generically applied by various growers. This will result in higher yields from the crops and provide more certainty for both the farmer and the buyer.