Russian Automated System Aims to Reduce Bird Strikes at Airports
Trials at St Petersburg’s Pulkovo airport have demonstrated a new automated ornithological safety system designed to monitor bird activity around airfields and help prevent aircraft collisions with wildlife, one of the persistent operational risks facing civil aviation worldwide.
In St Petersburg, a new automated ornithological safety complex called ORNI has completed successful trials. The system was developed by the Rosele holding, part of the Rostec state corporation, and is designed to address one of the long-standing challenges in aviation safety – bird strikes involving aircraft.
The ORNI system can automatically track up to 100 birds within a radius of about 10km from an aerodrome. It determines flight trajectory, speed and altitude, while displaying this information on a digital map in real time. The complex is integrated with bird deterrence systems and can control them automatically. It operates around the clock, in all weather conditions, and does not interfere with airport radio-electronic equipment.
More than 5,000 such incidents are recorded worldwide each year. Bird strikes pose a serious threat to flight safety and generate substantial costs for airlines. Deploying ORNI could help reduce accident risks, lower the number of flight delays and cancellations, and in the longer term even contribute to lower ticket prices by reducing operational losses for carriers.
Expansion Beyond Pulkovo
Successful trials at Pulkovo open the possibility of deploying the system at other major Russian transport hubs, including airports in Moscow, Novosibirsk and Vladivostok. ORNI can also be integrated with other automated airspace monitoring tools, including systems designed to counter unmanned aerial vehicles. The use of artificial intelligence could allow the system to analyse bird behaviour patterns and improve predictive accuracy.
The technology also has export potential. Demand for automated ornithological monitoring systems is growing alongside rising passenger traffic. Solutions similar to ORNI could attract interest from airports overseas, particularly in countries with expanding aviation infrastructure. Partnerships with airports in BRICS countries, Asia and the Middle East appear especially promising, as many operators in these regions are actively investing in technologies that improve flight safety.
Growing Interest in Automated Bird-Control Technologies
Interest in automated ornithological safety systems has increased as global air traffic continues to expand and airports adopt higher levels of automation. In Russia, several key steps have been taken in recent years.
In 2022, Pulkovo hosted the first trials of the ORNI system – a project by Rosele and Rostec that combines passive radar with bioacoustic bird deterrence technology. Testing continued in 2023, confirming that automated ornithological monitoring systems do not interfere with airport radio-electronic infrastructure.
In 2024, safety requirements for Russian airports were tightened following several cases of flight delays linked to wildlife-related incidents. By 2025, such systems had begun influencing international aviation discussions and were contributing to evolving ICAO safety approaches for wildlife hazard management.
Implications for Aviation Safety
The deployment of ORNI could significantly improve aviation safety in Russia. The technology addresses bird strike risks by combining automated monitoring with integrated deterrence systems. Analysts expect a measurable economic effect, estimating that reductions in airline losses linked to wildlife incidents could reach $1 billion annually.
In the coming years, ORNI could be deployed at major Russian airports, exported to foreign markets, and further enhanced through deeper use of artificial intelligence to analyse bird behaviour and predict collision risks.
The system therefore not only improves operational safety at Russian airports but also lays the groundwork for exporting domestic aviation technology and strengthening Russia’s position in the global market for airport safety solutions.
