A new Bird Concentration Monitoring System (BCMS) has undergone rigorous testing at UrbanV’s Test Vertiport UV-0 in Italy.
Developed in collaboration with The Edge Company; the BCMS, which aims to reduce the impact of bird strikes through the use of local wildlife imagery and real-time monitoring processes, is entirely automated and environmentally friendly.
Carlo Tursi, CEO of UrbanV, said:At UrbanV, our mission is to improve people’s lives by providing a fast, efficient, safe and environmentally friendly alternative for transporting people and goods over short distances by air.
Our vision is to become a prominent global operator of vertiport networks, starting with Italy and France, where we are working with our founding partners to establish the first AAM routes on a global scale.
We are thrilled to join forces with The Edge Company, whose environmentally friendly BCMS technology solution promises to elevate safety standards at our vertiports. Together, we want to pioneer a groundbreaking and safe urban travel experience that prioritises not only infrastructure protection, but also the safety and satisfaction of our passengers.
Facilitated by Artificial Intelligence (AI), video data is captured by nearby cameras, which is then processed by AI networks and automatically logged, creating a database from which to draw insights into the likelihood and potential risks associated with any bird strike.
The system’s installation follows a recent Memorandum of Understanding signed by the two companies and was installed in December 2023.
Fabio Masci, CEO of the Italian SME, explained:The Edge Company has developed an automated bird monitoring system based on its extensive experience in the aerospace sector, combining cutting-edge technologies such as AI with natural sciences, revolutionising the approach to mitigating bird strikes. Following a period of acceleration in France in 2018, where Airbus engaged us in anticipation of the forthcoming launch of new urban mobility initiatives, we adapted our BCMS system to cater to this emerging market, turning it into a NON-COOPERATIVE obstacle detection.
In the realm of Urban Air Mobility (UAM), any unexpected obstacle, whether it’s a drone flying or a child playing, presents a safety risk that requires swift detection and reporting. “With our system, which has no electromagnetic emissions and can be safely installed even in residential areas, we ensure constant situational awareness. This added layer of safety benefits everyone: passengers and citizens alike.
