Rheinmetall Develops Bird Protection Tech from its Expertise in Air Defense

Rheinmetall, in collaboration with ProTecBird, has successfully adapted its air defense technology to develop an advanced bird protection system for wind turbines.

This Techonology aims to safeguard red kites, a protected bird species, from collision with turbine blades, marking a significant step forward in integrating environmental protection with renewable energy.

The new system, named AVES Wind, leverages ProTecBird's AI and sensor technology, combined with Rheinmetall’s military-grade software. Originally designed for air defense, Rheinmetall’s Multi Mode Tracker software has been repurposed to identify and track red kites and other bird species.

The system automates shutdown commands for wind turbines when a bird is detected within a predefined range, effectively preventing collisions.

Thorsten Heinzen, CEO of ProTecBird, highlighted the system's success in a recent demonstration, stating, “We are proud to contribute to the energy revolution with our AVES Wind anti-collision system. Our partnership with Schleswig-Holstein officials and Rheinmetall has been crucial in achieving this milestone. Our technology not only meets but exceeds species protection requirements, setting a new standard for wind farm operations.”

The AVES Wind system was tested between July and September 2023 at a wind farm in accordance with Schleswig-Holstein’s new anti-collision system testing framework. The system successfully identified and protected 237 red kite flight sequences during the trials.

Uwe Lindenau, Sales Manager at Rheinmetall Electronics, noted the broader potential of this technology: “Our collaboration with ProTecBird is groundbreaking. Beyond protecting birds, our system can enhance flight safety by mitigating bird strikes on aircraft, showcasing the versatility of our air defense technology.”

ProTecBird is now focused on expanding its technology to include other wildlife, such as bats, and aims to broaden its impact on global renewable energy efforts. This development underscores a growing trend of integrating advanced technology from military and aerospace sectors into environmental and conservation applications.