MERLIN™ Bird Control Radar System |TLY Energy and Defense Industry Inc.

MERLIN Detection and Deterrence Bird Control Radar System continuously monitors user-defined bird and wildlife control zones and automatically activates bird-deterrent devices to prevent birds from entering restricted areas. It is one of the most advanced and proven radar systems of its kind.

In 2012, the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) presented the Responsible Canadian Energy Award based on DeTect technology’s successful track record in protecting birds at oil sands facilities in Northern Alberta. In its press release, CAPP stated that the installed MERLIN system was more than 97.5% effective in deterring birds approaching oil-contaminated pond areas during 2010 and 2011, and that no bird deaths occurred.

MERLIN Detection and Deterrence is based on DeTect’s proven MERLIN Avian Radar System technology. It is used by the U.S. Air Force, NASA, and airports worldwide to detect and monitor hazardous bird activity for bird-aircraft strike hazard management at air bases. MERLIN detection and deterrence applications include industrial waste ponds, oil and gas drilling pits, landfills, stormwater retention ponds, agricultural areas, and other sites requiring high-performance, reliable, automated 24/7 bird control and protection.

The technology allows multiple zoned control areas to be customized within MERLIN software, and any bird target entering a control zone triggers the activation of deterrent devices. The system can be supplied as fully self-powered fixed, relocatable, floating, or mobile units. For complete zoned coverage of large areas, multi-unit networks consisting of primary radar units, Primary Deterrent Units (PDU), Secondary Deterrent Units (SDU), and/or Floating Deterrent Units (FDU) can be deployed.

The system can interface with a wide range of non-lethal bird-deterrent devices, including conventional environmental bioacoustic devices and propane cannons. It can also be integrated with systems such as DeTect’s proprietary programmable Sweeping Bird Control Laser deterrent system and Long Range Bioacoustic Units (LRBU).

MERLIN™ Detection and Deterrence Technology

MERLIN supports the activation of single or multiple control zones and includes a deterrent software module with automatic randomized deterrent selection that varies the deterrent type and sound level for each response to reduce habituation. The system also includes a comprehensive library of pre-recorded acoustic deterrent files or can use customer-provided files, supporting .wav, .mp3, and other audio formats.

The MERLIN Detection and Deterrence system is supplied as a complete system including the main bird-control radar unit (radar sensor, radar tower, processor equipment, software, and equipment enclosure), deterrent devices, installation, startup, and support services. It can also be integrated into existing deterrent systems.

The systems are available with X-band and solid-state S-band Doppler radar sensors in low- and high-power radar configurations to provide reliable bird detection and deterrence. They can be used on all types of terrain, over water, and in various weather conditions, including fog, rain, and snow. MERLIN Detection and Deterrence systems can be fully controlled remotely and connected to networks via TCP/IP, wide-area wireless connections, and other protocols.

The technology is also upgradeable, modular, expandable, and reconfigurable. Units can be repositioned to adapt to changing site conditions, and the system can be expanded at any time by adding additional deterrent modules. All equipment is built to industrial standards and designed to operate with high reliability in outdoor and demanding environmental conditions.

MERLIN radar, deterrent controller, and processor equipment is housed in environmentally controlled, NEMA-rated outdoor enclosures that can be mounted on skids or trailers. Each system includes a full parts and labor warranty and is supported 24/7 by DeTect’s Technical Support Team, which includes biologists, radar ornithologists, and engineers.

MERLIN technology has been tested and proven in installations across the United States, Canada, Europe, and Africa. With more than 250 MERLIN bird radars delivered worldwide, it represents an advanced, proven, and widely used bird-radar and bird-control technology.

Long-Range Bio-Acoustic Units (LRBU) for Bird and Wildlife Control

The dispersal of hazardous birds and wildlife species is an important component of a comprehensive wildlife-control program. Non-conventional, non-lethal bird and wildlife dispersal techniques include methods such as pyrotechnics, propane cannons, handheld lasers, and bioacoustic systems.

Although these methods generally have low investment costs, they may lose effectiveness because of their limited effective range and the tendency of animals to become habituated over time. In addition, their inability to be directed effectively toward specific areas may result in nuisance-noise complaints. DeTect is a pioneer in the use of Long Range Bioacoustic Units (LRBU) for bird control.

LRBU units are planar-array acoustic emitters developed for military force protection and security applications and are capable of directing a concentrated and controlled sound beam of up to 80 decibels to distances of approximately one mile or more.

The units feature rugged military-grade construction and can broadcast recorded distress calls and other bioacoustic sounds, or a variety of sounds at variable levels such as sirens and bells, to control wildlife at short or long ranges.

System options include vehicle and gyroscopic mounting configurations. The technology can be integrated with the MERLIN Avian Radar System for automatic detection and deterrence, enabling automated bird control at landfills, mines, industrial facilities, and wind farms. LRBU technology also supports site security, crowd-control, and facility-protection applications.