Bird Control — Alberta, Canada Oil & Gas
Bird control in the oil & gas industry is a enduring issue, because residuals from production pose a serious risk. Wildlife conservation is a priority for The Drone Bird Company, so we wanted to show a better way to solve this ever-present problem. In 2017, The Drone Bird Company partners contacted clients in the Canadian oil & gas industry to perform a demonstration project. The goals of the project were to better understand the The Drone Bird Company UAV’s bird hazing capabilities on tailings ponds. Together with the client’s tailings operations, procurement, logistics, and aviation teams, the company conducted a 10-day project in Alberta. The team observed approximately 737 birds in total. Over half of all birds responded to hazing by leaving and not returning to the site. Nearly all others were scared from the immediate harm of toxic chemicals, at a highly effective rate of 86%.
Procedure
The field team mobilized to the location, and received the required site badges and training upon arrival. Following due diligence compliance, the team toured the site to gain an understanding of the operations, and layout. Before the start of activities the following day, team members attended a safety meeting. The meeting addressed safe integration into worksite operations, introducing falcon drone bird, and standard protocols.
Over the nine days, the team conducted bird hazing operations around the mine site, and supplemented with traditional tools. While on site, the team’s activities also included recording bird observations, and responding to the supervisor’s radio instructions. They recorded data in a daily bird observation tracker, and submitted those with daily field reports. These reports described daily activities in detail.
RESULTS
Over the demonstration project, our personnel observed about 737 birds. The species consisted of ducks, snow buntings, snow geese, and yellow legs, in nine locations. Nearly all birds reacted positively (86%), and evacuated the area in which they were loafing. Pilots completed a total of 44 bird flights to chase away birds while establishing a predatory presence.
The team effectively hazed many birds over the project but two interactions stand out. The first instance was a black duck swimming toward an oil boom with a strong tail wind. The Drone Bird Company launched the falcon drone bird and dove toward the duck, who lifted off the water and away from the pond. The second instance was with snow buntings. The Drone Bird Company was highly successful in startling the snow buntings and ‘herding’ them away. The team notes that they have been notoriously difficult to remove using other methods in the past. These instances prove the capabilities of the technology in emergency and otherwise challenging situations.
Most importantly, this demonstration project proved the effectiveness of our bird control technology in the oil and gas industry. The results from this project help to more fully understand how we can provide support to companies in the future.
Contact
If your organization requires wildlife management, The Drone Bird Company team recommends beginning planning early. To arrange a team to service your operation, or to lease falcon drone birds, or train your own pilots, please send your inquiry to info@thedronebird.com. You may also submit an inquiry here.
