Ultraviolet Lights Help to Deter Bird Strikes on Aircraft

By Gene Yarbrough

Bird strikes pose a serious threat to aviation safety and incur significant costs for airlines globally. Over the years, various measures have been implemented to deter birds from colliding with aircraft. One such innovative solution that has garnered attention is the use of ultraviolet (UV) bird strike lights.

The premise behind UV bird strike lights rests on the unique visual capabilities of birds. Unlike humans, most bird species can perceive light in the ultraviolet spectrum. This means that a UV light, largely imperceptible to the human eye, can be highly visible to birds, potentially serving as an early warning system to help them avoid collisions with aircraft. According to the FAA, research suggests that a pulsing UV LED light housed in a traditional landing light on the exterior of an aircraft could alert birds of the aircraft's position, potentially stopping bird strikes before they occur. This technology could be integrated into existing aircraft landing lights, making it compatible with both older and newer models.

Research into the effectiveness of UV lights has yielded encouraging results. For instance, tests conducted by the FAA involved installing a pulsing UV LED light on an Air Tractor 802 aircraft, flying it for approximately 80 hours under various conditions. The findings suggested that birds, specifically ducks in this case, would react to the UV light by taking off and changing their flight path, demonstrating a clear avoidance behavior. The pilots involved in the testing noted that the birds could spot the plane at farther distances with the UV lights activated compared to when the lights were off, providing them with more time to maneuver out of the aircraft's path. These results are described as "very favorable," according to Medium.

Despite some mixed results, the potential of UV bird strike lights for enhancing aviation safety is substantial. Bird strikes are on the rise, increasing by as much as 33% in recent years, according to FLYING Magazine. They lead to significant financial losses and, more importantly, pose a serious threat to human lives, having caused hundreds of fatalities and destroyed numerous aircraft between 1988 and 2021. Incorporating UV LED lights into aircraft landing lights is described as a relatively simple and inexpensive installation process with easy maintenance. While advanced technologies like artificial intelligence and cloud-based bird avoidance systems are on the horizon, UV LED lights are considered the "better technology now".

Further research is needed to investigate bird behavioral responses across a wider range of species, light frequencies, and environmental conditions. However, the promising results from existing studies suggest that UV bird strike lights could be a valuable tool in mitigating the risk of bird strikes, contributing to safer and more efficient air travel.

Lite Enterprises, also known as AV Guardian, has developed and received NORSEE approval for its line of bird avoidance lighting systems. Ranging from 60-watt to 150 watt systems available in 14v and 28v options, the units have demonstrated effective bird control capabilities. Donald Ronning, President of AV Guardian, indicated the primary mechanism for the lights is not “scaring the birds away,” but rather providing visibility and notification to the birds so they may “see and avoid” the aircraft. Ronning reported that AV Guardian bird avoidance systems have been installed on nearly two dozen aircraft with surprisingly positive results. Pilots operating airplanes in bird-rich environments have consistently reported extremely favorable results with birds diverting their flight paths at significantly farther distances than usual.

FMI: liteenterprises.com