An Overview of Avian Radar Developments - Past, Present and Future

For several decades, ornithologists and biologists have used radars to characterize the presence and movements of birds and other biological airborne targets. X-band and S-band marine radar transceivers have been successfully operated for applications such as natural resource management (NRM), environmental impact assessments (EIA), and bird aircraft strike hazard (BASH) management. In the past several years, numerous advances have been introduced into the marketplace, with others on the way, bringing with them many potential benefits. These include: • performance improvements, • continuous target data recording, • analysis and visualization automation, • remote and unattended operation, • automated alerts, • wide-area coverage, • centralized target data collection, • multi-sensor fusion, • real-time target data distribution to remote users, and • real-time integration into third-party situational awareness applications and Internet-based applications. The objective of this paper is to stand back and take an organized look at these developments in avian radar technology, with a view towards improving our understanding of this complex tool set. By reviewing the past, a context will be provided within which one can better appreciate what has been accomplished in the present, and where technology and products still need to go in the future. It is hoped that a better understanding will assist stakeholders in making the best use of these tools, today and tomorrow.