Patent ID: 8052767

Claim:
A jet engine protection system for an aircraft comprising: a. a sensor sub-system positioned on said aircraft, adapted to scan an area of interest in front of said aircraft, adapted to detect a flying bird having a size greater than a predetermined size, adapted to detect whether said flying bird is within a predetermined range of said aircraft, adapted to generate bird characteristics signals representative of said flying bird and adapted to transmit said flying bird characteristics signals to a digital processor; b. a threat evaluation sub-system comprising said digital processor and an algorithm implemented in said processor, said algorithm adapted; (1) to evaluate said flying bird characteristics signals; (2) to evaluate aircraft flight characteristics signals of said aircraft while in flight; (3) to determine a threat level associated with a risk of collision said flying bird with said jet engine; (4) to determine whether said threat level is greater than a predetermined threat level; (5) to generate control output signals if said threat level is greater than said predetermined threat level; and, (6) to transmit said control output signals to an active defensive mechanism; c. said active defensive mechanism attached on said aircraft and adapted to move from a retracted position to an extended position in front of said jet engine upon receipt of said output control signals.