Abstract
Laufer Wind (LW) has developed a prototype Eagle Take Minimization System that shows capabilities for autonomously detecting, tracking, and visually identifying eagles and other protected avians out to approximately 1 km range with no human-in-the-loop. This type of detection system is important for animals that fly too close to facilities that can harm them, such as large wind turbine farms. The Eagle Take Minimization System consists of networked and sensor-fused commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) X-band radars, PZT visible cameras and a Central Controller computer that can be interfaced with a wind facility SCADA. The intended design of the Eagle Take System is to detect and reliably identify eagles at far enough range so that proximate turbines can be stopped to greatly reduce the risk of eagle injury or death. These curtailed turbines would be released when eagles have moved away. Other wind turbines that are not in close proximity to eagles would continue producing electricity as usual throughout the process.