The (scary) future is here.
It seems like everyday you get on the internet, you see some kind of modern innovation that really makes you marvel at the advancement of technology. Though at the same time, some of these “innovations” also warrant questions like, “Is this necessary?” and even, “Where do we draw the line?”
New Mexico Tech researchers have developed what is being coined “Zombie Duck Drones,” which are basically reanimated corpses of birds like mallards and pigeons. They believe that these devices can help to monitor wildlife without sticking out or alarming the natural environment.
You can basically think of them as just really advanced, taxidermied decoys. The researchers have created ducks that can flap their wings and swim in the water, as well as pigeons that have cameras hidden in their necks. Though robotic, they are designed to mimic behaviors and flight patterns of real birds.
And I know what you are thinking… so I’ll direct you to a statement from Dr. Mostafa Hassanalian, the assistant professor of mechanical engineering, that explains why they are moving away from just regular drones to keep on eye on the great outdoors:
“I should mention that the main and only use for this project is wildlife monitoring, not spying. Drones are being used for wildlife monitoring; however, they create lots of noise which could scare the animals.”
No birds are harmed or killed in the drone-making process, and Dr. Mostafa Hassanalian, the assistant professor of mechanical engineering, wants to assure people that these birds are not being crafted for spying. And that’s all fine and dandy… but could they be utilized for hunting purposes? Imagine having a remote control mallard that you could use to infiltrate a flock of real ducks and lead them right to your duck blind?
Yeah, that probably wouldn’t be allowed.
The real idea and motivation behind these “Zombie Duck Drones” is that these dead-birds-flying will actually help aid the living avian population. Their hope is that the bird drones can safely monitor bird populations and other forms of wildlife, and they claim that these devices could hopefully cut down on bird strikes at airports.
To make a long story short, the researchers saw a need for drones that could more effectively blend in with the natural world, and this is what they came up with:
“The overarching goal of this project is to develop safe, eco-friendly platforms that can support wildlife monitoring, mitigate bird strikes near airports, and offer novel approaches for environmental observation and research. This fusion of taxidermy with drone technology marks a new era in bio-inspired engineering, setting the stage for versatile, low-impact drones that harmonize with nature.”
You can view the building process and a peek at how these drones will work and operate in the video below:
Hmm… all I know for sure is that this is a huge win for the “Birds Aren’t Real” people out there. I’m not typically a skeptical person, but I’ll be keeping a close eye on the birds around me after seeing this.
