Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      USDA net system designed to reduce aviation bird strikes in AORUSDA net system reduces aviation bird strikes
                        
                        
                        Ted Pepps, U.S. Department of Agriculture wildlife biologist, kneels in front of the drop net bird trap he created and built in July 2018. This trap system has been used to capture more than 20 birds alive at a time, with minimal manpower time invested. U.S. Air Forces Central Command safety sees many uses throughout the area of responsibility for similar systems in order to reduce bird strikes to aircraft, which cost AFCENT an average of over $3 million annually. (Courtesy photo)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

USDA net system reduces aviation bird strikesPublished Aug. 21, 2018
                    
                    By Staff Sgt. Joshua King
                    
                    
                    386th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
            **SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFNS) --**The U.S. Department of Agriculture works with safety teams around the Air Force to limit the presence of birds on and around airfields to protect aircraft from bird strikes, an issue that costs the Air Force millions of dollars every year in damages.At an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia, the USDA team has taken a system for catching birds used at a few stateside installations in the Air Force and created one fitted for use at the busiest aerial port in U.S. Air Forces Central Command.Ted Pepps, USDA wildlife biologist, designed a drop net system for this area of operations and worked with the base’s combat metals shop to build it in-house.“The drop net is a mass capture device,” said Pepps. “It allows us to catch more birds in a shorter amount of time. It is more efficient and effective. Back home we use it for bird control and wildlife research, and we hope to do the same here.”The simple design horizontally suspends a 15-by-15 foot net between electromagnets powered by a car battery. The operator drops the net flat to the ground on unsuspecting birds using a remote similar to a garage door opener with a range up to about a football field.“This is a big deal in the AOR because there are a lot of sensitive areas,” said Pepps. “Areas that we can’t shoot guns or pyrotechnics, so this [system] will fill that void.”Most birds are skeptical of changes in their environments, so USDA members do not drop the net daily. Once the birds have acclimated to the device, which normally takes a few days, they go out and drop it early in the morning while the birds are eating seed placed under the net.Once captured, the birds are humanely removed from the area.“A system like this demonstrates the potential that our Airmen from all components of the total force—civilian, Guard or Reserve, or active duty—have to make a difference through their ingenuity and creativity,” said Lt. Col. Edmund Harrington, AFCENT deputy director of safety. “Mr. Pepps’ drop net presents a simple solution to a variety of challenges with mitigating the wildlife strike risk in the [area].” This solution will not completely phase out other cages and traps that require the constant attention of USDA personnel. Those methods still require the team to replenish the food and water, and they can’t leave the birds exposed to the elements. The traps must be checked often to ensure that when a bird is captured, it remains alive.“With most traps, you use a lot of man-hours for a minimal result,” added Pepps. “With the drop net, where you pull the birds out immediately, there is not a huge time commitment with catching 50 to 100 birds.”The entire system is mobile and can be easily placed in a variety of locations, ensuring that it can be used wherever the birds relocate, said Pepps.The drop net system is placed away from the airfield and attracts the birds that would normally fly in the vicinity of the flight line, as well as other important areas around base.“We hope to see devices like this one in broader use throughout the [area], and I encourage our safety teams to look for other innovative ways to reduce mishap risks for our Airmen and joint and coalition partners,” said Harrington.environmental 



USDA 



386th AEW 



air forces central 



Department of Agriculture 



Air Force Central Command 



AFCENT 



southwest asia 



386th Air Expeditionary Wing 



U.S. Department of Agriculture 



Bird Strikes 



drop net system 



mass capture device 



Total Force Integration 



#smarternotharder 



innovation Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                Kendall, Allvin, Saltzman urge modernization while warning Senate of delayed budgets
                    
                    Readout of Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall’s travel to the Philippines
                    
                    Air Force senior leaders visit Eielson AFB
                    
                    Air Force leaders focus on ACE during Kadena AB visit
                    
                    USAF senior leaders visit Mariana Islands on ACE tripInnovation
                F-16s arrive to be modified for autonomous testing
                    
                    AFWERX director discusses role of tech startups, quick innovation in Great Power Competition
                    
                    DAF delivers lethality at the speed of data during Project Convergence Capstone 4
                    
                    DAF welcomes industry partners to HQ development program
                    
                    DAF announces Spark Tank 2024 finalistsMAJCOM News
                Cope Tiger concludes in Thailand
                    
                    Safety enterprise announces new mission, vision, goals in 2024 strategic plan
                    
                    Air Combat Command welcomes new commander
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander discusses Integrated Air, Missile Defense during Munich Security Conference
                    
                    Flosi to AFMC family: Embrace change, make every day count
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil