Photo/Illutration A pilot shows off a drone mounted with a repellent laser projector on Oct. 21 in Chiba city’s Wakaba Ward. (Wataru Nakano)

In the battle against avian flu, an NTT East Inc. affiliate has developed a drone that emits laser beams that can scare away disease-ridden wild birds from poultry houses.

The first mission of the anti-flu system, created by NTT e-Drone Technology, headquartered in Asaka, Saitama Prefecture, could come in Chiba Prefecture, which reported the largest number of bird-flu infections across Japan last season.

The prefecture is now ramping up countermeasures and urging poultry farmers not to lower their guard as the peak flu months in winter are arriving.

A dedicated subsidy framework has become available, allowing the prefecture to cover part of the drone’s introduction costs on behalf of chicken farmers.

The drone measures 1 meter long and 1 meter wide when its arms are fully extended.

A specialized device mounted on its body projects red and green laser beams onto the rooftops of chicken coops and nearby areas.

NTT e-Drone Technology explained that birds mistake the red light for insects and other food sources while they instinctively avoid the green rays to protect their eyes.

The company hit upon the idea of first attracting wild birds, like doves, crows and starlings, with the red laser and then repelling them with the green light.

The dual-color tactic is ultimately aimed at discouraging the birds from ever returning to the same area.

NTT e-Drone Technology stressed that the laser beams have no negative effects on people’s health, and that the machine can autonomously operate within a preset flight range.

Total expenses to develop the drone, including pilot training, reached about 3 million yen ($19,000), the company said.

Avian flu is believed to spread among domestic fowl when infected wild birds invade poultry houses. The virus can also infect chickens through the droppings of outside birds.

Traditional countermeasures primarily involve anti-bird nets and disinfection. But these strategies have their limitations.

CROWS DISAPPEAR IN TEST

NTT e-Drone Technology carried out a verification experiment in Kanagawa Prefecture in January and February this year. The drone emitted the laser beams on eight days of each month, dispersing a flock of around 80 crows.

“The lasers’ influence lasts for a month or so,” an NTT e-Drone Technology representative said. “Regularly flying the drone can help retain the effect.”

NTT e-Drone Technology intends to popularize the laser system nationwide. It said it has received a steady stream of inquiries from throughout Japan and abroad.

The company is also considering using the mechanism for other types of trouble. A verification test, for example, showed that the drone is effective in preventing crop damage not only from bird species, including doves, but also pesky animals such as wild boars and deer.

Agriculture ministry data showed that 51 cases of avian flu transpired across 14 prefectures during the pathogen season from last fall to early this year, resulting in the culling of 9.32 million poultry birds.

The northeastern part of Chiba Prefecture experienced a particularly explosive outbreak. More than 3.3 million fowl were killed across 16 infection cases, the highest reported figure nationwide.

SUBSIDY COVERS ONE-THIRD OF EXPENDITURES

The Chiba prefectural government, mindful of the last plight, introduced a financing setup in July this year to subsidize one-third of infection control costs.

The prefecture specified that the laser drone system falls within the new subsidy program.

A 55-year-old poultry farmer in Asahi, Chiba Prefecture, said he culled 140,000 chickens during the flu outbreak last season.

He visited and observed a demonstration drone flight organized in October on the grounds of a farm in Chiba city’s Wakaba Ward.

“I have tested all possible steps, such as incorporating anti-bird nets, on my own, only to find my fowl infected in the end,” he recalled. “I do not believe adopting the drone alone can root out infections, but I am determined to do everything I can.”

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