Canada uses drones to drive away geese near Ottawa

Once only a bane to jihadists and drug-runners, drones are now employed to disperse unwanted waterfowl. Canada’s capital of Ottawa—frustrated by the persistent presence of geese at its public beaches—adopted an innovative, non-lethal method of chasing the birds away. Refitting a remote-controlled hobby aircraft for this purpose, Steve Wambolt deploys his “hexicopter” each morning to annoy and harass the Canada geese with the sounds of their natural predators emitting from its speakers. After unsuccessful efforts to control the population with canines, decoys and putrid odors, the Ottawa city council thinks it now may have found the answer to its goose problem.

Wambolt’s goose management business has a serendipitous origin. A remote aerial photographer, hemarketed his services to a city councilman, who asked him if the drone had alternative uses that might assist in dispatching the crowds of geese. Goose droppings are a source of e coli bacteria concentrations, spreading disease among wildlife and humans. Taking this cue, Wambolt replaced his cameras with speakers, sending the flying menace to badger the birds. It worked. The goose population is reduced substantially at Petrie Island beach, an area that was previously closed to the public because of the health hazard.