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- DeTect, Inc 2817 Hwy 77, Panama City, Florida 32405 USA
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Bird-aircraft strikes pose a significant safety hazard to aircraft, pilots and passengers and, according to government studies, cost military and commercial aviation over $2 billion each year due to aircraft loss and damage, out-of-service delays and lost lives.
DeTect’s MERLIN Bird Detection Radar (BDR) system, introduced in 2003, is the first production model bird strike radar system and is the most advanced and widely used technology available for aircraft-bird strike risk management providing for real-time detection, tracking and alerting of hazardous bird and drone activity at commercial airports, military airfields, and military training and bombing ranges. Real-time avian awareness with up-to-the-minute information ensures the safest flights by focusing on when and where large flocks are moving—the greatest risk to commercial airports.
The MERLIN avian radar is proven, operational technology with over 1,100 systems installed worldwide for aviation safety and environmental applications. MERLIN has a documented record in reducing bird strikes, increasing safety, and reducing aircraft damage at both military and commercial airfields
MERLIN is also the only bird radar system to have been evaluated and certified for real-time, tactical flight safety use by the US government (NASA and the US Air Force) and is the only bird radar approved for and in use at a commercial airport control tower under national flight safety standards.
The MERLIN system is a full True3D™ radar and has the highest update rate of any BDR system (4+ times per second). MERLIN can optionally be delivered as a dual-function bird and drone detection radar (BDR-DDR), risk alerting and interdiction system. The counter-UAS DDR upgrade can be added to a MERLIN BDR at any time as an upgrade that includes the drone classification software and radiofrequency (RF) detectors to detect RF and WiFi controlled drones and locate their operators.
With MERLIN, users get more than just a bird radar – each MERLIN system is supported by DeTect’s experts in military and commercial aviation safety, air traffic control, airfield management, airfield bird control and radar remote sensing to provide a cost-effective system that integrates seamlessly and effectively into airfield or airport operations.
The base model MERLIN and horizontal scanning surveillance radar configuration to provide airspace coverage around the airport/airfield out to 8+ miles (15 kilometers) with dedicated scanning of critical runways and approach and departure corridors (where over 85% of airfield bird-aircraft strikes occur) . The MERLIN True3D model provides full 3D airspace target detection and tracking 360 degrees around the airfield out to 8_miles (15 kilometers), providing the highest level of bird and drone detection and strike risk alerting available on the market.
MERLIN systems are available in standard mobile and custom fixed skid unit installation configurations. For large, multi-runway airports and airfields, multiple fixed-mount sensor packages are installed around the airfield and networked to provide optimal 3D coverage of the airfield and the area around the airport with dedicated vertical scanning of each runway and into approach and departure corridors providing continuous risk alerting and delivering precise real-time information. Power and network infrastructure is minimal, and all components are fully remote controllable. All components are industrial grade with high reliability and low maintenance costs. MERLIN is scalable and expandable which allows users to install a base system initially, adding additional sensors as budgets allow to expand coverage.
In MERLIN, hazardous bird target positional information is delivered in real-time to multiple local and remote users simultaneously in operationally usable formats with user-selectable display options that include color-coded symbols, unique identifier symbols for birds, drones, aircraft, and vehicles, target trails and target tags with a range of attribute display options.
DeTect’s unique MERLIN Advisor risk alerting software continuously monitors bird activity in the runway approach and departure corridors and around the airfield automatically determining the current birdstrike risk for each corridor with the risk displayed onto the screen in color-coded text as LOW (green), MODERATE (yellow), or SEVERE (red) risk levels). The MERLIN display was developed with input from pilots, controllers and airfield management and is designed to be quickly interpreted and effectively used in the high tempo environment in control towers. Tower controllers, airfield managers and bird control staff are automatically alerted to real-time and expected changes in the risk condition by user-selectable, visual, audible and text message warning options.
MERLIN Advisor represents the state-of-the-art in real time bird strike risk management for commercial airports and military airfields. All target data attributes are also continuously written to the MERLIN SQL database system for playback, archiving and analysis with the Data Analyzer software that includes standard “point-and-click” queries. The integrated MERLIN Reporter feature automatically generates a set of custom or standard BASH management reports and emails them to users at the end of each 24-hour period. Data are also exportable to GIS and Google Earth for integration into customer resource and planning databases and for modeling and detailed analysis. MERLIN additionally includes an optional incident recorder module that retains 48-72 hours of full radar data to support event and mishap investigations.
Automated real-time monitoring, warning & alerting of bird strike risk
User-selectable visual, audible & messaging risk alert options
Detection and tracking software developed specifically for birds & aviation safety
Largest 3-D airspace scan volume
Upgradable for simultaneous bird & drone surveillance
Fastest update rate
Most accurate x-y-z bird target positional information
Developed and supported by top BASH & aviation safety experts
Proven in airport, military airfield & training range installations worldwide
Fully remote viewable & controllable through LAN, WAN, Internet & wireless
Wide range of standard & custom functions & features
Widely used by the US Air Force, US Navy, NASA & major airports for real-time, tactical bird detection
MERLIN uses state-of-the-art solid-state S-band radar sensors with Doppler processing providing all weather detection and tracking of birds even in fog, rain and snow. The S-band frequency, unlike X-band and FMCW, will not cause interference with other airport radars and telemetry systems. The solid-state radars in MERLIN have been engineered and manufactured specifically for bird detection and offer greater sensitivity than traditional X-band and FMCW based systems which are susceptible to false positives from insect contamination and are “blind” in wet fog or even light rain. Low
visibility conditions such as wet fog and rain represent one of the highest risk periods to aircraft as bird control units, controllers and pilots cannot “see” the birds and the birds cannot “see and avoid” the aircraft.
MERLIN is a fully integrated and engineered system that is manufactured by DeTect in its own factories in Poland, South Korea and Florida and each system includes advanced radar sensors (with an MTBF > 50,000 hours), ruggedized electronics, radar data processors and software, radar towers, and military/AOA airfield lighting and marking. Mobile MERLIN systems are fully mission deployable via ground, ship or air transport for forward-base use and are air transport certified (USAF ATTLA). With the optional secondary surveillance radar (SSR) and multi-function HARRIER and DroneWatcher options, the MERLIN system can support military theater operations delivering simultaneous, real-time birdstrike risk management, drone and small UAV detection, and/or airspace and perimeter surveillance and intrusion alerting, all from a single, compact fully mobile, hardened and self-contained platform.
MERLIN is backed by the most experienced team of bird radar and airfield bird control experts in the world. With MERLIN, users are getting more than an aircraft birdstrike avoidance radar system. DeTect provides comprehensive application support with each system delivery that includes site modeling and design, engineering, installation, custom concept-of-operations (CONOPS) development, system integration and site-specific operation training and long-term support. Each system is supported by DeTect’s team of application specialists who have extensive backgrounds and experience in radar systems, BASH management and airfield operations.
Staff resources supporting each MERLIN deployment include a former Chief of the US Air Force BASH Team, a former Head of US Air Force Europe Bird Control, US FAA Qualified Biologists, US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) certified Mishap Investigators, former USDA Airfield Wildlife Control Officers, and noted international experts in radar ornithology and BASH with experience gained on projects at airports and airfields worldwide.
MERLIN systems are available for purchase, long-term lease and short-term rental, with or without DeTect operators and are backed by a full parts and labor warranty that covers the complete system. Since 2003, over 600 MERLIN bird radar systems have logged over 15 million hours of operating time with an established record of high system uptime, high reliability and low maintenance and repair costs.
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