Design and Fabrication of Bird Detection and Monitoring System in Aircrafts

This project aimed to design and fabricate a bird detection and monitoring system to reduce accidents caused by birds in aircrafts. The project involved researching and analyzing the ASR-9 and TDWR radars, comparing their characteristics, and designing a bird detection and monitoring system. The project group consisted of team members with different responsibilities, and the project faced issues such as delays, high costs, and technical problems. Solutions were provided to each issue, and a plan was made to produce creative and innovative work.

CE 2.1 Project Information
Name of the project: Design and Fabrication of Bird Detection and Monitoring
System in Aircrafts
Location of the project: Please fill
Project Duration: Please fill
Organization: Please fill
Role and Designation during the time: Team Member of the project
CE 2.2 Project Background
CE 2.2.1 Characteristics of the project
This project of Design and Fabrication of Bird Detection and Monitoring System in
Aircrafts was my second major project in aeronautical engineering career. This project solely
developed the specific bird detection and monitoring system that would be extremely helpful
for the aircrafts in reducing the accidents caused by birds. The conflicts between the
commercial aircrafts and birds are considered as the most important and significant problem
in all aircrafts in the entire world. Even the airports are suffered due to this problem. Our
project was developed by us for providing solutions to these problems that are faced by
airports and aircrafts.
CE 2.2.2 Objectives developed for the project
The project of Design and Fabrication of Bird Detection and Monitoring System in
Aircrafts comprised of two important objectives. They are as follows:
 To design and fabricate a bird detection and monitoring system.
 To help the aircrafts and airports by reducing accidents due to birds.

CE 2.2.3 My area of work
My major area of work in this project of Design and Fabrication of Bird Detection
and Monitoring System in Aircrafts was to design the entire bird detection and monitoring
system. I undertook the core duty of designing this specific system with proper technical
details. For this purpose, at first I researched about the various accidents that have already
taken place in the previous days worldwide. It was important to understand the major reason
of this type of accidents. Apart from researching, I even compared the data of the major radar
characteristics. The WSP or Weather Systems Processor was also analyzed by me to learn
about the major capability for detecting and monitoring the activities of birds.
CE 2.2.4 Project Group
Figure 1: People involved in the project
CE 2.2.5 My responsibilities throughout the project
I was an important part of the project. I had various important responsibilities within
the project. My first and foremost responsibility in this project of Design and Fabrication of
Bird Detection and Monitoring System in Aircrafts was to design the entire system properly.

For this reason, I at first researched about the accidents that are occurring or has already
occurred in the airports worldwide. My second responsibility was to analyze the two
important radar systems, which are ASR-9 or Airport Surveillance Radar and TDWR or
Terminal Doppler Weather Radar. I knew that these two radars are responsible for monitoring
the activities of birds in any airport. I therefore, analyzed these two radars for designing the
bird detection as well as monitoring system. My next significant responsibility was to
compare the major radar characteristics for the detection of bird. I took the readings of these
radars for the purpose of comparison of radars.
CE 2.3 Distinctive Activity
CE 2.3.1 Engineering knowledge and skills applied in the project
I have utilized my aeronautical engineering skills and knowledge in this particular
project of bird detection and monitoring system for aircrafts. The first skill that I have utilized
was the skill of complex problem solving. This helped me in identifying the issues of the
system and provides proper and relevant solutions to those issues. The second skill that I had
utilized in this project was mathematics. I am extremely sharp and have the capability in
doing calculations easily. Thus, designing of the system was much easier for me. I even
utilized various methods and scientific rules for the analysis of this system designed. The
other skills that I have applied in this particular project were analysis of operations and
evaluation of systems. Due to my extreme knowledge of physics, the designing part was
extremely easier for me.
CE 2.3.3 Comprehending the Theory of Project
The problems due to the clashes in commercial aircrafts and birds are extremely
common for each and every airport worldwide. This project of the bird detection and
monitoring system is supposed to provide solutions to these types of issues or problems and

thus accidents are supposed be reduced to a greater level. The main problem of these
accidents is that the radars are kept in such a height that is extremely higher for detecting the
low altitude birds in airport or aircrafts. Our project was made with the purpose to detect the
low altitude birds or any other flying object. We selected two effective radar systems for the
purpose of analysis, which are ASR-9 or Airport Surveillance Radar and TDWR or Terminal
Doppler Weather Radar. These two radars provide continuous updated information or data
about the locations and an estimated number of birds that are flocked together near any
airport. The second factor is that these two radars solely generate the real time warnings of
the activities of birds for the disseminations of the pilots for landing or departing the aircrafts
by relevant air traffic controller or simply by the direct link of data.
Both the ASR-9 or Airport Surveillance Radar and TDWR or Terminal Doppler
Weather Radar are extremely effective. However, we decided to compare the two radars in
terms of some of the major radar characteristics. The comparison of these two radars is given
below:
Radar Characteristics TDWR ASR-9
Wavelength 5.3 cm 10.7 cm
Beam width 0.5 degree 4.8 * 1.4 degree
Pulse width 1.1 microsecond 1.0 microsecond
Range Gate Resolution 150 meters 111 meters
Location Off airport On airport
Minimum Detectable
Reflectivity for 50 KM
-16 dBZ +8 dBZ
Polarization Horizontal Vertical or Circular
Surface Update Rate 1.0/5.0 minutes 5 seconds
Data Quality Editing Yes Yes

Table 1: Comparison between TDWR and ASR-9
Hence, ASR-9 was better than TDWR. The system architecture that we made in this
project was the part of TAHAS or Terminal Avian Hazard Advisory System. With the rapid
scanning rate as well as on airport sitting, the ASR-9 is supposed to serve as the major
detection sensor. The improvised altitude information and the smaller target detection
capabilities were the most important requirements in our project. The data of the radar was
checked by the particular time processing algorithm for the purpose of tracking the birds I
lower altitude. The internal as well as external databases were envisioned with the help of
few of the vital interfaces as the major components of this system of bird detection and
monitoring.
Figure 2: Architecture of Bird Detection and Monitoring System
With the implementation of our algorithm, the flocks of birds were detected and a
fully fledged system for bird strike warning was designed for the recognition of isolated or
small groups of birds. Due to the presence of two effective radars, the birds were detected
even in lower altitude.

CE 2.3.4 Identified issues and their solutions
2.3.4.1 Issues
There were some of the major issues that I had faced in this particular project. These
issues were bringing delays to the project. The first important issue that I had faced in this
project was while using the multiple sensors. These sensors were required for making the
design of the bird detection and monitoring system a completed one. However, the utilization
of sensors like radars or cameras was becoming a major problem. The radar of the system
that we had decided to use, was giving incorrect results and we were having major problems.
The bird was not being detected in the system and thus our project was becoming a failure.
This was even killing our time and funds were getting increased for our project. The high
costs were the second problem for our project. Due to the exceeding costs or expenses, we
were experiencing major difficulties. The next technical problem that we faced was due to the
discrimination of lower altitude weather.
2.3.4.2 Solutions
I provided solutions to all the problems or issues that we were facing in the project of
bird detection and monitoring system. For the first issue, I suggested to utilize ASR-9 or
Airport Surveillance Radar and TDWR or Terminal Doppler Weather Radar. These two
radars are considered as the most important, efficient and effective for detection of birds.
These two radars are utilized by most of the airports worldwide and are extremely effectively.
Hence, our problem was solved. For the problem of cameras, I suggested to utilize special
cameras with the radars. These cameras captured the images of any flying object like kites or
birds and thus our project was successful and delays were removed. For the higher costs, I
suggested to use low cost materials for the project. With these lower cost materials, our
project was not exceeding the budget any more. The third issue was solved by providing a

basic sufficient degree of the altitude resolution that allowed the discrimination of all the
lower altitude biological targets from the vertically or horizontally distributed target like
weather. Hence, the reflectivity difference within two typical radars or beams was the most
important discriminator. Therefore, I suggested solutions to each and every problem in our
project.
CE 2.3.5 Plan to produce creative and innovative work
We made a significant plan for our project. Our plan was to bring out creative and
innovative work by working mutually. We divided our work perfectly and every one carried
out their responsibility with utmost sincerity and perfection. Thus, our project was a
successful one.