The Efficacy of Visual and Auditory Bird Scaring Techniques using Drone at Paddy Fields

Abstract

Abstract Birds can cause damages to crop and financial losses to farmers and able to spread exotic diseases such as Avian influenza and Newcastle disease to human. Numerous methods have been used in controlling birds, e.g. chemical, auditory, visual and lethal. In this research, visual and auditory methods were applied, where reflective boards and speaker were installed on a drone and were flown at different altitudes and intervals. The scaring approach were divided into five (5) categories; reflective board only, ultrasonic sound, predator sound, combination of reflective board and ultrasonic sound and combination of reflective board and predator sound. The test was conducted at a paddy field plot, Botanical Park, Shah Alam. The findings indicate that combination of visual and auditory techniques scared the highest number of birds. However, the effectiveness gradually decreases as altitude increases. The interval of flight does not show any correlation with the number of birds that flew away. It is recommended to conduct future research far from residential area due the sound from the drone and auditory devices which cause disturbances to residents. Future experiments should be conducted in a control environment, free from human and ground vehicles interruption in order to have better observations on the efficacy of the chosen methods.