Appartently yer traditional wind turbines kill a lot of birds, which I'm told is a bad thing.

And so, the research department of NMRM Co (me)swung into action. After three coffees and a few fags, I could see the light, despite the fumes. But, I am digressing. The idea was a large tall silhouette of a cat that goes in front of wind turbine and the turbine blades are painted to resemble furry cat limbs. If you think of a huge manikeneko with rotary arms, you're getting there.

More versatility would come from just having a blank screen, projecting a moving cat on it daytimes, and you could have an owl at night, to keep off or something.

Regrettably the original prototype of a wind-turbine with cats epoxied in place with Araldite didn't work out to well, aerodynamically but you can't have everything in the life, ne?
-- not_morrison_rm, Feb 13 2016

Bird of Prey Illusions Put_20Window_20Tint..._20Rise_20Buildings
[theircompetitor, Feb 13 2016]

LEDs on moving blades CFDU
So, construct a picture of an owl or cat or ... that is as big as the entire circle swept out by the moving turbine blades. [Vernon, Feb 13 2016]

It's only the turbine blades that cause problems, yet its the hub that generates the power. So...
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Feb 13 2016


ONE problem is that for smaller turbines. the blades rotate fast enough to be a blur that while not actually invisible tends to be un-noticed. Another problem is "timing". If a bird sees the moving blade but underestimates when it will intersect the space through which the bird thinks it can safely fly....

I think a better solution was proposed elsewhere on the HalfBakery, in an entirely different context. I'll find and link it. Because in this context the birds are definitely going to see something they might wish to avoid.
-- Vernon, Feb 13 2016


I applaud your idea for trying to save the lives of innocent birds. Not a nice way to die, me thinks.
-- blissmiss, Feb 13 2016


Would it help to have an ultrasonic bird repeller in the hub? It could make angry cat noises during the day and hooting sounds at night.
-- whatrock, Feb 14 2016


[marked-for-borgbait]
-- Voice, Feb 14 2016


I don't think most large wind turbines spin fast enough to do a POV display on the blades. And do birds even have POV sufficient for that?
-- notexactly, Feb 15 2016


[notexactly], If the blades spin fast enough that they are basically a blur to a bird, then a POV display should work. If they spin slow enough (in weaker wind) to be seen as turning blades, then it would be interesting to find out just how many birds actually get hit by the moving blades that they can see.
-- Vernon, Feb 16 2016


//Not a nice way to die, me thinks.//
From the evidence I have seen at wind farms and glancing through bird impact surveys for wind farms, I would guess that the deaths - sliced in two by a blade travelling at up to 150mph - are not particularly drawn out.
-- calum, Feb 16 2016


I'm just looking back at this...this was not at all deliberate but an owl and a pussycat..

Either I'm channelling Edward Lear, or he was channeling me?

There's an entire Phillip K Dick novel in there somewhere.
-- not_morrison_rm, Feb 16 2016


Does this idea repel bats? They are killed not by being hit by the blades, but by flying through the low pressure regions behind them, which causes their lungs to bleed, and then they drown in their own blood.
-- notexactly, Feb 16 2016


//Does this idea repel bats?//

The ultrasonic tweak mentioned above is very effective against bats. On the screen could be projected a very large image of a Borg waving his/hers/its arms around screaming of assimilations and immolations. Then everything would scamper.
-- whatrock, Feb 17 2016



random, halfbakery