crop protection

rainbow lorikeets

Peregrine-like birds now protecting crops

@JudyEv (385378)

Rockingham, Australia

June 5, 2026 2:23am CST

Drones have their uses, both good and bad. Many films now seem to have drone footage and we all know about the lethal drones being used in the Iranian war. A feel-good story I heard concerned drones being built to look like peregrine falcons. The size, silhouette and flight patterns are the same as those of the peregrine falcon which is touted as the world's fastest bird. The flexible poly form wings run on rechargeable batteries during 15-minutes intervals. Named RoBird, the drones weigh less than a kilogram and are designed to protect food crops. Birds cause over $300 million in losses in Australian crops. It’s hoped the RoBirds are being trialled on strawberry crops. When trialled on almond orchards, there was an 89% reduction in fruit damage. The main culprits are rainbow lorikeets and cockatoos. The photo of a rainbow lorikeet is by Andrew Mercer and was on Wikimedia.

17 people like this

20 responses

@DaddyEvil (176367)

• United States

5 Jun

I'm glad there are some good uses for drones.

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@DaddyEvil (176367)

• United States

5 Jun

@JudyEv True. I hope birds don't get used to ignoring the drones.

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@DaddyEvil (176367)

• United States

6 Jun

@JudyEv As soon as the birds realize nothing is hurting them, they'll stop being scared of the drones.

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@JudyEv (385378)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Jun

It will be great if this works well.

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@Ronrybs (21800)

• London, England

5 Jun

Amazing how much birds can take. Think it would be only a little, but everyday and so many birds, it soon adds up

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@JudyEv (385378)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Jun

Same with our mouse plague. And now corellas and galahs are dying in the areas where the stronger baits were used for the mice. I don't think I'll write about it.

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@JudyEv (385378)

• Rockingham, Australia

8 Jun

@Ronrybs Very true.

@Ronrybs (21800)

• London, England

7 Jun

@JudyEv A major problem with poison baits, not at all discriminating

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@LadyDuck (505517)

• Italy

5 Jun

This rainbow lorikeet is a very pretty bird. Great idea to use drones for a good purpose for once.

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@LadyDuck (505517)

• Italy

6 Jun

@JudyEv - That would be great if it works.

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@JudyEv (385378)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Jun

They have high hopes of this solving one of their problems, that's for sure.

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@xFiacre (15058)

• Ireland

5 Jun

@JudyEv I would like one of those things for my garden - I need to scare away low-flying, would-be poopers who bomb my lawn and driveway regularly.

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@xFiacre (15058)

• Ireland

5 Jun

@JudyEv Oh it gets better!

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@JudyEv (385378)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Jun

Maybe you could even scare away people.

@JudyEv (385378)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Jun

@xFiacre I thought that would get you excited.

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@garymarsh6 (24295)

• United Kingdom

5 Jun

What a beautiful colourful bird. I loved seeing the birds in Australia even if they are regarded as pests!

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@garymarsh6 (24295)

• United Kingdom

6 Jun

@JudyEv No just the East coast. QM2 actually berths in Freemantle but not Perth & at some ports they use tenders to get ashore.

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@JudyEv (385378)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Jun

@garymarsh6 Fremantle is the only port near Perth but I thought it was too shallow.

@JudyEv (385378)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Jun

We do have some very pretty birds. Did you come to Western Australia at all? I'm guessing not as I don't think our harbour can cope with the QMII.

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@pitsipeahie (5759)

•

5 Jun

What a very pretty and colorful bird! Thanks for sharing that beautiful photo.

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@JudyEv (385378)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Jun

It's a shame it's such a pest in so many areas. It certainly is very pretty.

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@pitsipeahie (5759)

•

5 Jun

@JudyEv Yeah, it’s still interesting how something so beautiful can also be seen as a pest depending on the situation. Nature really has its balance that way.

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@GardenGerty (170229)

• United States

6 Jun

I was pretty sure the image was NOT a falcon. Thanks for the explanation.

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@JudyEv (385378)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Jun

These birds also compete with native birds for nesting sites. They're indigenous in some parts but have now migrated over most of Australia. They're so pretty but quite a nuisance.

@snowy22315 (211324)

• United States

5 Jun

What a beautiful bird.

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@JudyEv (385378)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Jun

They're very beautiful but also a bit of a pest.

@RasmaSandra (99386)

• Daytona Beach, Florida

5 Jun

Very colorful and beautiful bird, I think that is a great idea to ehlp with the crops,

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@JudyEv (385378)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Jun

So much better than poison or shooting.

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@Traceyjayne (12568)

• United Kingdom

5 Jun

I absolute love that photo …..such a pretty bird ….

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@JudyEv (385378)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Jun

It is indeed. So many lovely colours.

@LindaOHio (223811)

• United States

9 Jun

89% is more than successful. When we went to the San Diego Zoo we fed lorikeets. They were all over us. Such beautiful birds.

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@JudyEv (385378)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Jun

89% is a great outcome. The lorikeets are certainly very pretty.

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@Ineeddentures (39560)

•

6 Jun

The main culprits are rainbow lorikeets and cockatoos I read somewhere that the Cockatoos waited till the drones flew away and then continued their wicked way. There was so ethong like this in Scotland where these native Aussie parrots who now live here quite happily we're attacking people's car windows and eating the rubber seals lol Hilarious, I think it's funny when clever birds are naughty

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@Wrexxo (3952)

•

5 Jun

Drones that protect food crops, we need that in Nigeria

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@JudyEv (385378)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Jun

I can imagine such drones would be handy in a great many areas.

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@Wrexxo (3952)

•

5 Jun

@JudyEv you are right

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@Jehanne (2292)

• Philippines

6 Jun

At least there's still a good way to used drones but it's saddening really that it used as weapon to war. That was a pretty bird.

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@JudyEv (385378)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Jun

I don't think the future uses of these new innovations are properly thought through sometimes.

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@AmbiePam (123607)

• United States

5 Jun

What a cool use of drones! I’m glad they are helping just that much.

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@JudyEv (385378)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Jun

It's very cool indeed. Those who grow any crops have a lot to contend with. Anything that helps is to be commended.

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@toniganzon (78178)

• Philippines

5 Jun

Whatever helps. Thank goodness for technologies like this.

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@JudyEv (385378)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Jun

It's a great idea and I can see it working very well.

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@jstory07 (149141)

• Roseburg, Oregon

5 Jun

That is a lot of losses in Australian crops. I am glad there is now less fruit damage.

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@JudyEv (385378)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Jun

I wonder if the birds will get used to them and start to ignore them.

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@wolfgirl569 (138066)

• Marion, Ohio

5 Jun

That's a very pretty bird. Hope the drones work

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@teamfreak16 (44696)

• Denver, Colorado

5 Jun

Interesting. Good idea. Someone is using their head!

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@JudyEv (385378)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Jun

I can see it working well, especially if they've matched the outline, flight patterns, etc.

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@thislittlepennyearns (68656)

• Defuniak Springs, Florida

5 Jun

Thats an awseome use of technology.

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@JudyEv (385378)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Jun

I thought so too.