The U.S. Army Just Revealed an Odd New Defense System for Its Fighter Jets and Airfields and It Involves Robotic Coyotes – The Debrief

At a distance, the four-wheeled machine trundling across a military airfield might pass for a large remote-controlled car topped with a menacing plastic coyote. However,  to a flock of birds in the path of a roaring jet engine, it s the embodiment of primal fear. 

Meet the robotic coyote a new autonomous deterrent system being developed by the U.S. Army to keep airfields safe from wildlife that can endanger flight operations. 

In a novel blend of animal mimicry and robotics, the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) is testing robotic coyotes to protect some of the military s most valuable assets fighter jets and their crews. 

By using lifelike predator decoys mounted on unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), researchers aim to prevent potentially catastrophic collisions between birds and military aircraft.

via thedebrief.org

Weird. Cool, but weird.