Bird-Friendlier Skies: Robots and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Install Bird Scarers for SSEN Transmission

Safe bird deterrent

Another way to protect birds and T&D equipment from each other is to provide a visual warning that allows the bird to change its flight path and avoid danger. Birds often find power lines an attractive place to perch or an obstacle in their flight path. Keeping birds and power lines separate is in everyone’s best interest. Bird scarers are simple devices that can give birds a visual cue to avoid power lines by making the lines more visible.

In search of the highest contrast deflection, SSEN Transmission found Colorado wildlife conservation company Power Line Sentry, who worked with bird ophthalmologists to develop today’s Hawk Eye BFD. This deflector is unique among marker options for its high visibility features. The Hawk Eye features an A-frame tent shape, contrasting prismatic colors, and 24-hour glow-in-the-dark stripes, offers a movement effect without mechanical components or line slippage, provides low wind and ice loading, is designed for systems up to 345 kV without a corona, and can be safely installed with the FulcrumAir LineFly robot. All key features for deflecting birds away from power lines and for safe and efficient installation.

Collaboration with SSEN Trans-mission, FulcrumAir and Power Line Sentry enabled the implementation of the bird redirection concept.

FulcrumAir designs and manufactures exceptional drones and robots, and in 2020 they designed the LineFly to install North America’s favorite diversionary: the Power Line Sentry Hawk Eye BFD. The installation process is simple, safe and efficient: their powerful E2500 heavy-lift drone lifts the LineFly robot, equipped with the Hawk Eye BFD, onto the line and deploys full-span BFDs in sequence, automatically, while FulcrumAir operators control it from the ground.