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July 20, 2011 - Turkish Air Force Visit MERLIN Aircraft Birdstrike Avoidance Radar System at Offutt AFB - Offutt installed the MERLIN bird radar in February 2009 to provide real time bird strike risk information to support flight safety.. The MERLIN station installation includes a real-time display of bird activity and strike risk alerts to the air traffic control tower. During the visit, USAF representative Major Gavin Gigstead noted that "This system has allowed our flight operations to regain additional flight hours every season", further stating that "after the MERLIN radar system was installed, a dramatic reduction in the number of large-bird strikes has occurred," (read full article at Air Force Today)
July 6, 2011 - DeTect Provides MERLIN Bird Radar Support for the Final US Space Shuttle Launch - DeTect is providing support for the NASA MERLIN Avian Awareness Device that has been used on 20 shuttle launches since the launch on July 4, 2006. In a surprise ceremony today, DeTect and its staff received a NASA commendation for its efforts that was presented by James Kelly who piloted STS-114, the shuttle launch that struck a vulture. In presenting the commendation, NASA noted that DeTect's MERLIN bird radar system had maintained 100% system reliability since 2006 with no system downtime or failures.
June 30, 2011 - LRAD Corporation Announces New LRAD Order for Bird Control from DeTect - DeTect's bioacoustic technology partner, LRAD Corporation (NASDAQ LRAD), today annunced it had received a $500,000 order from DeTect to supply long range bioacoustic units for integrration Into a MERLIN Bird Control Radar system installation at a large oil sands facility tailing pond in Alberta, Canada. This project will be the third MERLIN/LRAD installation in the oil sands. To date the combination of the MERLIN & LRAD technologies have resulted in significant reduction in bird mortality. (LRAD News Release)
June 22, 2011 - CATEC Spain Orders HARRIER S200d Air Surveillance Radar System - The HARRIER system will support unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) sense-and-avoid for CATEC's UAV development and testing range in central Spain. The Andalusian Foundation for Aerospace Development (FADA) manages CATEC (the Advanced Center for Aerospace Technologies) and supports industry in research and development activities in the aerospace sector in coordination with universities and other research centers, providing both companies and researchers access to required technologies (more information)
June 10, 2011 - Portugal's Leading Environmental Consulting Company, Bio3, Orders MERLIN Avian Radar System - DeTect will supply and support a MERLIN XS25200de Avian Radar System that will be used to support wind energy projects in Portugal. Bio3 are experts in Ecological Baseline Studies and Biodiversity Monitoring Surveys, with an emphasis on renewable energy projects. Bio3 will be the first company in Portugal to have the MERLIN technology (Bio3 website)
May 31, 2011 - DeTect Poster Presentation from WINDPOWER 2011 on the MERLIN SCADA Avian Radar System for Raptor Mortality Risk Mitigation Available On-line - The American Wind Energy Association has posted DeTect's paper that was presented at the 2011 Anaheim, California conference at its website (view poster); to receive a copy of the paper, email to papers@detect-inc.com
May 20, 2011 - Power Company of Wyoming (PCW)Installs MERLIN Avian Radar System at its Chokecherry and Sierra Madre Wind Energy Project in Wyoming - PCW has installed a MERLIN XS25200e Avian Radar System as part of its avian protection plan at its proposed 1000 turbine Wyoming wind farm site. Garry Miller, PCW's director of land and environmental affairs noted that. "[The radar] will further PCW's goal to avoid, minimize and mitigate potential impacts to wildlife based upon best available science." (more information)
May 10, 2011 - DeTect received Cornerstone Award from the Longmont Area Economic Council - The Longmont Area Economic Council in Longmont, Colorado honored DeTect and several other companies at its 12th Annual Cornerstone Awards Luncheon. DeTect was honored for its impressive growth and continued creation of jobs over the past year at its Longmont manufacturing facility that produces the RAPTOR Radar Wind Profiler.
April 27, 2011 - Pattern Energy Orders DeTect Radars for its Proposed Spring Valley Nevada Wind Farm Project - DeTect today received a order to supply a MERLIN XX25200e Avian Radar System and a VESPER X25 Vertical Profile Radar (VPR)for its latest wind farm project. Pattern currently has MERLIN systems operating at its Gulf Wind I Texas and Ocotillo Express California wind farms. The Spring Valley project will include the second solid state X-band MERLIN system as well as the first VESPER wing beat frequency radar system (see article at SmartPlanet).
April 16, 2011 - DeTect Establishes DeTect India Joint Venture to Support Asian Projects - DeTect has formed a joint venture based in New Delhi, India that will provide local staff and manufacturing resources for projects throughout Asia. DeTect's CEO, Gary W. Andrews, has been appointed Chairman of the Board of the new DeTect India company.
April 16, 2011 - DeTect Establishes DeTect India Joint Venture to Support Asian Projects - DeTect has formed a joint venture based in New Delhi, India that will provide local staff and manufacturing resources for projects throughout Asia. DeTect's CEO, Gary W. Andrews, has been appointed Chairman of the Board of the new DeTect India company.
March 30, 2011 - Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria Orders MERLIN Aircraft Birdstrike Avoidance Radar System - DeTect has received a $1.7 million order from FAAN to supply and support a MERLIN system for Nigeria's main airport in Abuja, Nigeria. The Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (IATA: ABV, ICAO: DNAA) MERLIN system includes a fixed skid mounted dedicated radars for each runway with a real-time display and birdstrike risk alerting in the air traffic control tower (see related article).
March 10, 2011 - Samoa Met Service Orders RAPTOR VAD-BL Radar Wind Profiler - DeTect today announced that the company has received an order to supply and support a RAPTOR VAD-BL wind profiler to the Samoan Meteorological Service. The $600,000 order includes manufacturing, deliver and commissioning of DeTect's patent pending velocity azimuth display wind profiler technology.
March 2, 2011 - Riga International Airport Announces Installation of MERLIN Aircraft Birdstrike Avoidance Radar - DeTect has completed delivery, installation and operational integration of a MERLIN SS200i Aircraft Birdstrike Avoidance Radar system at the Riga airport in Latvia (RIX). Riga is the second airport in the world to install a bird radar system at a commercial airport for real-time detection and tracking and for delivery of automatic birdstrike risk alerts to controllers and pilots. The Riga system is also the first all solid state, all weather detection bird radar system deployment at a commercial airport (Riga Airport article on MERLIN)
February 16, 2011 - DeTect Deploys World's First Solid State Doppler X-band Bird Radar System - DeTect has completed operational deployment of the first solid state ultra high resolution X-band bird radar system at the Pattern Energy Ocotillo windfarm site in southern California. The system includes advanced doppler processing for increased ground clutter suppression and for extended range of Golden eagles at the site. The system also includes a HARRIER ground target processor and radar-directed long range, laser illuminator camera system to support remote species identification
January 31, 2011 – US Fish & Wildlife Service Orders MERLIN Avian Radar Systems – The US Fish & Wildlife Service Region 3 today issued the award today to DeTect to supply and support two MERLIN Avian Radar Systems. The units will be used to assess potential bird mortality risk for proposed wind farm development in the US the Great Lakes Region. DeTect’s MERLIN technology is the most widely used bird radar system with systems operating at terrestrial and offshore wind farms in the US, Europe and New Zealand since 2003 and MERLIN is the only system in use for radar-based wind farm bird mortality risk mitigation.
January 14, 2011 – Startup of the First MERLIN SCADA System for Raptor Mortality Risk Mitigation Completed at Spanish Wind Farm – DeTect, in partnership with its Spanish VAR Torsa Renovables, has completed startup of the first MERLIN SCADA-R radar-based bird mortality risk mitigation system at the El Pino wind farm in southern Spain. The system uses the MERLIN Avian Radar System technology to continuously monitor vulture activity at the wind farm assigning risk values to each bird target in real-time and automatically idling individual turbines when birds are detected to be at significant mortality risk. MERLIN is the most widely used bird radar technology for wind energy worldwide and MERLIN SCADA is the only functional bird mortality risk mitigation system operating in the wind energy sector. (for additional information, contact us at wind@detect-inc.com)
January 6, 2011 - DeTect Bird Radar Technology Being Used to Support Beebe Arkansas Mass Bird Death Investigation - DeTect has analyzed recorded data from its US national bird radar system - the Avian Hazard Advisory System (AHAS) - to support agencies investigating possible causes of the death of over 500 blackbirds in Beebe, Arkansas this week. The recorded radar information indicates that the birds left their roost around 10 PM local time on the date of the event, and, once airborne stayed aloft for around 8 hours. The AHAS system was developed and is operated by DeTect for the US Air Force as part of its national bird aircraft strike risk management system and monitors bird activity 24-7 for the continental US with all data archived in real time. (To read a news story on the Beebe radar data analysis and view the radar video on line CLICK HERE)
December 22, 2010 - The City of Mexico City Orders RAPTOR VAD-BL Radar Wind Profiler - DeTect has received a $1 million order from the City of Mexico City, Mexico for a RAPTOR VAD-BL system that will be used to support the City's air pollution monitoring program. The VAD-BL (patent pending) is an innovative parabolic dish design boundary layer wind profiler that is highly portable (trailered) to support a wide range of applications that require precise, real-time wind speed measurement from pollution monitoring to plume modeling to wind energy forecasting (more Information)
December 15, 2010 - DeTect Obtains CE Mark Certification for MERLIN Avian Radar Systems - DeTect has completed its CE Marking engineering review under the EMR Directive and all MERLIN units delivered to the European Economic Area going forward will include the CE Mark. CE Marking is mandatory for products delivered to the 27 member states of the European Union and for EFTA countries.
December 2, 2010 - ISR Group Orders HARRIER Air Surveillance Radar System - The ISR Group today ordered a HARRIER S200 ASR (Air Surveillance Radar) system to support its Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) development, testing and operations at the ISR Group's Unmanned Aerial Vehicle test range in Savannah, Tennessee USA. The ISR Group (www.isrgroup.com) specializes in development and implementation of unmanned system programs for government and commercial clients in Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition (RSTA), Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR), Search & Rescue, and Battlespace Management. DeTect's contract includes manufacturing, delivery, installation, start-up and support of a HARRIER ASR system with a solid state, Dopplerized S-band long range radar sensor; custom operating software; a radar tower to be installed onto the ISR test range tower; TCAS and ADS-B data integration hardware and software; and, rack mounted system electronics and computers. Additional services by DeTect include support to ISR for installation of the tower and radar onto the range tower, installation of the equipment into the range control tower cab; and system startup and user training. The HARRIER system includes a full 3 year parts and labor warranty with a long term support for concept of operations (CONOPS) development, implementation and operational integration.
November 26, 2010 - FAA Avian Radar Circular on Birdstrike Radars Released - The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued its Advisory Circular (AC) on bird radars for airport use for aircraft-bird strike risk management support. The AC sets forth minimum performance requirements for a bird radar system for use at US airports and for acquisition with Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funding that includes a 'Buy American' provision. DeTect's MERLIN Aircraft Birdstrike Avoidance Radar system exceeds the minimum requirements for the AC in all areas and additionally meets the 'Made in America' provision. For a copy of the circular CLICK HERE
November 22, 2010 - US Air National Guard Orders MERLIN Bird Radar System - DeTect today announced that it has received an order to supply a MERLIN Avian Radar System to the US Air National Guard 180th Fighter Wing 200th Red Horse Squadron in Ohio. The MERLIN unit will be operational in early 2011 and will be the 8th MERLIN system delivered to the US Air Force/Air National Guard. The system will be a fixed installation, real-time system and will include the new MERLIN DT Tracker next-generation bird tracking software as well as the MERLINSQL datasystem.
November 10, 2010 - DeTect Releases Next Generation DT Tracker™ Software for MERLIN and HARRIER Radars - DeTect today announced the release of the next generation of its DT Tracker software. The original MERLIN tracking algorithm in use since 2003 was specifically written for tracking the unique target characteristics and flight dynamics of birds. As reported by the FAA, modified ship tracking software have proven difficult to adapt for bird radar systems, and custom developed bird tracking solutions have proven critical for operation of effective avian radar systems, particularly when tracking birds on vertically scanning radars. The new DT Tracker will deliver a higher level of performance in tracking unique and rare bird flight events (bird exhibit foraging, migration and courtship/display flights over a diverse range of characteristics). The software was also rewritten to track aircraft, marine vessels and ground targets (pedestrians and vehicles) for DeTect’s HARRIER line of security radars. In the new DT Tracker, bird specific tracking models can be optionally turned ON or OFF depending on the user’s specific operational needs. The new software is a complete, redesign to effectively detect and track multiple target types from a single sensor platform. DT Tracker will also support DeTect's VAR partners and third party developers providing track data through the DeTect SDK. All current MERLIN and HARRIER systems will be upgraded to the new DT Tracker over the next 6 months.
October 25, 2010 - Zorlu Energy Orders MERLIN™ SCADA Avian Radar System for Turkish Wind Farm - DeTect has received an order from Turkey’s largest power company, The Zorlu Energy Group, to supply and support a MERLIN Avian Radar System for Phase 1 of its Bache Wind Farm in southern Turkey. The bird radar system will include DeTect’s MERLIN SCADA software that allows the MERLIN Avian Radar System to function as an "early warning" system providing advance detection of birds approaching the wind farm under conditions where the operational turbines could pose risk to the birds. When such conditions are detected, the MERLIN system automatically initiates risk mitigation response actions up to and including idling of wind turbines until the birds pass by the wind farm.
October 11, 2010 - DeTect to Premier FMCW-based HARRIER Radar at ASIS 2010 Security Conference in Dallas, Texas USA - DeTect will premier its new FMCW-based HARRIER surveillance system at the ASIS 2010 conference in Dallas, Texas USA this week. ASIS is the security industry's most comprehensive education and networking event and DeTect will exhibit its full line of advanced solid state, Doppler and FMCW HARRIER systems for ground, airspace and marine surveillance at its exhibit (booth# 4060). The new FMCW sensor will also be integrated with the MERLIN bird radar line for specialized bird detection applications (more information).
September 24, 2010 - DeTect Starts Type Approval Testing of Solid State Doppler X-band Radar - DeTect has started Type Approval testing of the its new solid state Doppler X-band radar sensor. The new solid state X-band technology will greatly expand performance of its HARRIER Surveillance Radar System for UAS, Ultralight, and micro-UAV targets. The company today additionally released its version 4.0 Bird Mode proprietary firmware for the solid state S-band MERLIN Bird Radar systems.
September 24, 2010 - DeTect Starts Type Approval Testing of Solid State Doppler X-band Radar - DeTect has started Type Approval testing of the its new solid state Doppler X-band radar sensor. The new solid state X-band technology will greatly expand performance of its HARRIER Surveillance Radar System for UAS, Ultralight, and micro-UAV targets. The company today additionally released its version 4.0 Bird Mode proprietary firmware for the solid state S-band MERLIN Bird Radar systems.
September 10, 2010 – DeTect Posts Record Bookings in the Third Quarter of 2010 – DeTect today announced that it received a $2.6 million order for a MERLIN Avian Radar System installation in Canada that brings total 3rd quarter 2010 sales bookings to over $8.8 million generating a total contract backlog of over $15 million. For 2010, the company has experienced significant growth adding over 30 new engineers and scientists to support new projects in the US, Canada and overseas. The company expects additional orders of over $7.5 million by the year end and will enter 2011 with a manufacturing backlog of almost $25 million. Additionally, in 2011, DeTect will introduce several new weather radar products to the market along with a next generation MERLIN system.
September 1, 2010 - Pattern Energy Takes delivery of MERLIN XS2530e Avian Radar System for a Proposed Ocotillo Wind Farm – DeTect has delivered and is commissioning a MERLIN system at Pattern’s proposed Ocotillo wind farm in southern California. The system will be used to conduct a multi-year survey of the proposed wind farm site in the Mojave desert area of southern California and is the third MERLIN system delivered to Pattern Energy. In addition to DeTect’s MERLIN bird radar technology, the system includes a special HARRIER ground-based target system linked to a laser-illuminator security camera that will detect and census Big Horn sheep transiting the project site.
August 16, 2010 – DeTect Begins Type Approval of Solid State X-band Radar Sensor – DeTect has initiated type and performance testing of the first solid state X-band radar sensor for its HARRIER airspace, marine and ground surveillance security radar system. The system is expected to complete US Type approval by the year end and will provide enhanced performance over conventional magnetron-based systems. A Dopplerized version will be commercially available in early 2011.
August 2, 2010 - World's First Doppler Bird Radar System Announced by DeTect - DeTect today announced production of the world's first bird radar system with Doppler processing for improved detection of birds in high clutter environments. All MERLIN Avian Radar Systems manufactured after September 1, 2010 will include the SharpEyeDTX solid state bird radar sensor with DeTect's proprietary bird mode firmware and Doppler processor. "This step marks another milestone for DeTect in 2010 that also included startup of the first bird radar system at a commercial airport with real-time birdstrike risk alerting in a commercial air traffic control tower" said Gary W. Andrews, DeTect's CEO.
July 15, 2010 - DeTect Longmont Announces New Main Offices to Support Expanded Operations - DeTect today moved into new engineering and operations offices at 117L South Sunset in Longmont Colorado. The new expanded facility will support RAPTOR Radar Wind Profiler engineering and manufacturing to include production of 30 RAPTOR systems for the US National Weather Service NGNPN program upgrade.
June 25, 2010 - DeTect's Scott McLaughlin Nominated for National Academy of Engineering Recognition - Scott McLaughlin, who heads DeTect's Meteorological Radar Systems Group, has been selected to take part in the US National Academy of Engineering's (NAE) 16th annual US Frontiers of Engineering symposium. Scott was recognized by fellow engineers and organizations nationwide for his efforts in exceptional engineering research and technical work. The symposium will be held September 23-25 at the IBM Learning Center in Armonk, New York. (more information)
June 7, 2010 - Rich Anderson Joins DeTect as Vice President of Security & Surveillance Systems - Rich Anderson has joined DeTect as the company's Vice President, Security & Surveillance Systems responsible for the company's HARRIER radar product line. Rich has over 15 years of experience in the security and surveillance industry having held positions with the US Navy, Honeywell Vindicator and Vumii. Rich specializes in integrated remote sensing systems for airspace, marine and ground applications and will lead expansion of DeTect's HARRIER Security & Surveillance Systems group based in Panama City, Florida USA. May 20, 2010 - DeTect to Exhibit at the Farnborough International Air Show in England July 19-25, 2010 - DeTect today announced that it will premier its latest all-Doppler solid-state MERLIN Aircraft Birdstrike Avoidance Radar system at the prestigious Farnborough Airshow in England July 19-25-2010. The Farnborough International Airshow (FIA) is one of the world's most iconic global aviation events. FIA holds a prominent position within the aerospace calendar taking place on a biennial basis (once every two years) over one week in July. DeTect's booth location is 3B 20-21 and will highlight its MERLIN bird radar technology for military and commercial aviation birdstrike prevention. (more information)
April 15, 2010 - Deepwater Wind Orders Second MERLIN Avian Radar System for Northeastern US Offshore Wind Farms - DeTect today received an order for a second MERLIN system from Deepwater Wind, the leading US developer of offshore windfarms. The new MERLINXS25200e includes an advanced solid state radar sensor and will be used to collect preconstruction avian risk assessment data for a proposed windfarm off shore of the US State of Rhode Island. Deepwater purchased its first MERLIN system in 2008. (more information)
March 31, 2010 - Air Force News Covers Air Shipment of MERLIN System to Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan - The US Air Force Central Public Affairs today posted an article on the pending air transport of the first bird radar system to be deployed to an active war theatre. The MERLIN SS200m Aircraft Birdstrike Avoidance Radar system was delivered to Shaw AFB in March and is scheduled to ship out by air transport in the next few weeks for installation at Bagram Airfield. The unit is a m-series MERLIN and includes hardened electronics, ballistic armoring and is USAF tested and certified for transport by C-17 and C-5 heavy airlift aircraft. (read the full article at Air Force Today)
March 24, 2010 – National Geographic Reports on the Durban Airport’s Use of MERLIN Bird Radar Technology to Protect Both Aircraft and Birds – NATGEO News Watch today reported on the world’s first operational use of a bird radar system at a commercial airport and how it protects both aircraft and birds. The MERLIN system installed at the new King Shaka airport in Durban, South Africa is the world’s first operational use of a bird radar to provide real-time aircraft-bird strike risk warnings to pilots. The new airport is located adjacent to a major bird refuge and the MERLIN system provide real-time information to air traffic controllers under an operational procedure developed by the airport and the South African Civil Aviation Authority. (read full article at NATGEO News Watch).
March 23, 2010 - Texas Parks & Wildlife Service Releases Documentary Video on Use of MERLIN Bird Radar Systems to Protect Birds at Texas Windfarms - The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department has just released a documentary video on the use of DeTect's MERLIN SCADA Avian Radar System technology for real-time migratory bird risk mitigation at coastal wind farms in Texas. The video also includes footage on the use of additional MERLIN systems being used by the Texas A&M Kingsville Cesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Center for a multi-year coastal migratory bird study. (click to see the video online)
March 17, 2010 - Pattern Energy Highlights DeTect's MERLIN SCADA Technology in its Acquisition of Gulf Wind I Windfarm - Pattern Energy Group LP today announced its acquisition of the Texas Gulf Wind wind farm from Babcock & Brown. The project includes 118 wind turbines generating 283.2 megawatts of energy, and is the first wind farm in the world to use advanced avian radar technology to protect migratory birds. Pattern's CEO, Mike Garland, stated that DeTect's MERLIN SCADA Avian Radar technology "is an excellent example of Pattern’s commitment to be a leader in scientific innovation and a good steward of the environment.” (see Pattern News Release))
March 4, 2010 - DeTect Sponsors Aviation Week Webinar "Effective Airport-Airline Partnerships for Birdstrike Prevention" - DeTect today hosted the Aviation Week Webinar on the Birdstrike issue that included Webcast presentations by industry experts in aircraft-bird strike prevention from US Airways, the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport and DeTect. A post Webinar Discussion Blog continues at the Bird Radar Blog site at http://www.birdradar.com/?p=176. The Blog site additionally includes a link to the recorded Webinar at the Aviation Week website.
February 25, 2010 - Belgium Government Orders MERLIN Avian Radar System for Offshore Wind Farm Projects - The Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS) awarded DeTect the contract to supply and support a MERLIN SS200e Avian Radar System for bird survey and monitoring for Belgium offshore windfarm projects. The MERLIN system was selected under a competitively evaluated solicitation based on its specialized bird detection and tracking software, solid-state radar technology, high reliability and proven performance. The RBINS MERLIN system will be the fourth MERLIN system operating at off shore wind farms in the North Sea.
February 16, 2010 - FAA Orders MERLIN Aircraft Birdstrike Avoidance Radar System for FAA Bird Radar Evaluation Program - As part of its bird radar evaluation program, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today purchased a MERLIN system through the US Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services agency. USDA WS is the leading US government airport bird and wildlife control agency and will be supported in its evaluation of MERLIN for the FAA by radar engineering experts from the US National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and biologists from Indiana State University. The focus of the evaluation is to assess how the MERLIN bird radar technology that is already successfully used by the US Air Force, NASA and airports overseas for tactical bird-aircraft strike avoidance, can be integrated into US commercial airport bird control programs to improve aircrew and passenger safety (more information).
February 25, 2010 - Belgium Government Orders MERLIN Avian Radar System for Offshore Wind Farm Projects - The Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS) awarded DeTect the contract to supply and support a MERLIN SS200e Avian Radar System for bird survey and monitoring for Belgian offshore windfarm projects. The MERLIN system was selected under a competitively evaluated solicitation based on its specialized bird detection and tracking software, solid-state radar technology, high reliability and proven performance. The RBINS MERLIN system will be the fourth MERLIN system operating at off shore wind farms in the North Sea.
February 16, 2010 - FAA Orders MERLIN Aircraft Birdstrike Avoidance Radar System for FAA Bird Radar Evaluation Program - As part of its bird radar evaluation program, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today purchased a MERLIN system through the US Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services agency. USDA WS is the leading US government airport bird and wildlife control agency and will be supported in its evaluation of MERLIN for the FAA by radar engineering experts from the US National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and biologists from Indiana State University. The focus of the evaluation is to assess how the MERLIN bird radar technology that is already successfully used by the US Air Force, NASA and airports overseas for tactical bird-aircraft strike avoidance, can be integrated into US commercial airport bird control programs to improve aircrew and passenger safety (more information).
January 19, 2010 - DeTect X-VPR Weather Radar Enters Service at the University of Alabama Huntsville - DeTect's Dopplerized fixed-beam vertical profile weather radar delivered to the University of Alabama Earth System Science Center in Huntsville, Alabama USA is seeing its first use in support of the University's Severe Weather Research Team. The X-VPR is the first of the 'Aquila' line (Latin for 'Eagle') of weather radars from DeTect and is a Dopplerized magnetron-based radar designed for severe weather detection and study of rain and snow bands at upper altitudes (more information).
January 14, 2010 - DeTect to Sponsor Aviation Week Webinar"Effective Airport-Airline Partnerships for Birdstrike Prevention" - DeTect is pleased to announce its sponsorship of an Aviation Week Webinar on the Birdstrike issue to be held on Thursday, March 4, 2010 with presentations by industry experts in aircraft-bird strike prevention from US Airways, the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport and DeTect. With the recent news about the increased number of birdstrikes reported in 2009 and on the one year anniversary of the 'Miracle on the Hudson" birdstrike related crash, this webinar offers a timely update on processes and technologies available to reduce birdstrikes and improve aircrew and passenger safety. (Click Here for More Information or to Register for the Webinar).
January 5, 2010 - Aviation Week Bird Radar/FOD Detection System Roundtable Whitepaper Available Online - The Whitepaper from the Aviation Week Bird Radar and Foreign Object Debris (FOD) Roundtable held at the National Press Club in Washington, DC last October 27, 2009 is now available online. The event brought together senior aviation industry experts from around the world to develop strategic solutions and action plans for integration of bird radar and FOD technologies into US commercial aviation (download the Whitepaper).
December 31, 2009 - DeTect Achieves Record Sales Growth in 2009: DeTect today announced record sales growth in 2009 of over 65% with increases posted in all of the company's radar product lines. "DeTect was able to achieve this even during the recession due to investments made in prior years in R&D, product diversification and overseas market development", said Gary Andrews, DeTect's CEO. 2009 marked several milestones for the Company that included the first large-scale MERLIN detect & deter Bird Control Radar installation, which also was the first permanent bird radar installation in Canada; the first implementation of a radar-based bird mortality risk mitigation system at a wind farm; delivery of the first-article RAPTOR Radar Wind Profiler to the US National Weather Service; and, installation of a dual use HARRIER Airspace-Marine Surveillance Radar system to the Kodiak space launch complex.
December 16, 2009 - Pattern Energy Orders MERLIN Avian Radar System for Ocotillo Wind Farm, California USA: Pattern Energy will install a MERLIN Avian Radar System at its proposed Ocotillo Wind Farm near El Centro, California to conduct preconstruction avian surveys. The fully self-contained bird radar system will be operational in January 2010 and will operate unattended 24-7 measuring bird passage rates for mortality risk analysis and modeling.
December 6, 2009 - US Department of Energy Orders RAPTOR Radar WInd Profiler: The U.S. Department of Energy (USDOE) has ordered a DeTect RAPTOR VAD-BL Radar Wind Profiler for its Atmospheric Radiation Monitoring program. The USDOE currently has six radar wind profilers (RWPs) in operation world-wide with in a network providing continuous depiction of atmospheric profiles of wind speed and direction to 3-6 kilometers. This new profiler will be ship-mounted and capable of compensation for the ship motion by electronic beam steering, a requirement met by U.S.-based DeTect’s VAD-BL unique agile beam technology. The contract, administered by the Battelle Pacific Northwest La,b is funded under the US Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and 3-5 new jobs are expected to be created in DeTect' Longmont, Colorado manufacturing plant as a result.
November 6, 2009 - Tradewind Energy Orders MERLIN Avian Radar System: Headquartered in Kansas, Tradewind Energy has ordered a new generation MERLIN XS20025e Avian Radar System to support its US wind farm projects. The system to be delivered in early 2010 is a fully self-contained, mobile MERLIN bird radar system equipped with the next generation solid-state radar sensor and environmental analysis modules for wind farm avian survey, monitoring and risk assessment.
November 1, 2009 - DeTect Adds Birdstrike Report Log to Website: DeTect has added a chronological listing on bird-aircraft strike reports published in on-line media on the DeTect website. The listing will be continually updated as new reports are received and can be accessed at www.detect-inc.com/birdstrikes.htm
August 17, 2009 - DeTect Delivers MERLIN Avian Radar System to El Pino Wind Farm in Spain: DeTect has delivered, installed and commissioned a MERLIN XS25200e Avian Radar System to the El Pino wind farm in southern Spain to begin operational monitoring of avian activity at the site. The system was ordered and will be operated by Torsa Renovables, one of the largest wind farm operators in Spain (for more information see www.torsa.es).
March 24, 2009 - DeTect Announces Next Generation of All Weather Solid State MERLIN Bird Radar Systems for Aviation Safety: DeTect today announced that all 2009 MERLIN Aircraft Birdstrike Avoidance Radar systems will use state-of-the-art solid state radar technology that provide a significant increase in bird detection performance and range over the older magnetron-based radar sensors. The 2009 model MERLIN bird radars for airport and airfield birdstrike risk detection and alerting will be all S-band systems to provide bird detection in wet fog and into moderate rain where X-band based systems are effectively "blind". For more information
March 1, 2009 - The Discovery Channel features DeTect MERLIN Aircraft Birdstrike Avoidance Radar in Discovery Tech feature "The Wide Angle: How to Avoid Bird Strikes": T. Adam Kelly discusses methods to reduce bird-aircraft strike risk at airports with Tracy Staedter of the Discovery Channel including the use of bird radars for real-time detection and alerting of birdstrike risk (view the on-line slide show at CLICK HERE)
February 23, 2009 - CBS News Story FAA Testing Radar To Avoid Bird Strikes Features MERLIN Aircraft Birdstrike Avoidance Radar at USAF Dover AFB: A story by Richard Schlesinger discusses why the FAA has taken over ten years to "evaluate" bird radars when systems are in operational use by the US Air Force. In the story, the FAA researcher cites "insect" contamination problems with bird radars tested by the FAA which are not an issue with the MERLIN system (view the video CLICK HERE)
February 6, 2009 - DeTect delivers MERLIN Aircraft Birdstrike Avoidance Radar system to US Air Force Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska: The system to be installed is a MERLIN XS2530i series unit and DeTect will provide installation, start-up and concept-of-operations (CONOPS) integration support to the base. The system includes the MERLIN ATC automated birdstrike risk warning software that will alert air traffic controllers when birdstrike risk is detected by the system as well as continuous advisories to controllers, airfield managers and bird control staff of the current strike risk level and areas of increasing bird activity within 8 miles of the airfield. (USAF news release)
January 15, 2009 - MERLIN Aircraft Birdstrike Avoidance Radar System Provides Real-time Detection & Alerting to Prevent Bird Related Aircraft Mishaps Such as US Airways 1549 at LaGuardia: Panama City, Florida-based company is the world leader in development of advanced avian radar systems for detection, tracking and alerting of bird aircraft strike risk at military airfields and commercial airports. (link to media news release)
January 7, 2009 - Babcock & Brown Hosts Grand Opening of the Gulf Wind I Windfarm in Texas: Babcock & Brown held a ribbon cutting ceremony and grand opening at the Gulf Wind I Windfarm in South Texas. The windfarm is the first in the world to fully integrate avian radar technology into the windfarm operations and will use a MERLIN Avian Radar System to continually monitor bird activity automatically shutting down the turbines when high bird mortality risk conditions are detected (more information).
December 30, 2008 - MERLIN Avian Radar System to be installed at the Meridian Energy Northland Wind Farm in New Zealand: New Zealand's largest wind energy developer has committed to install a MERLIN Avian Radar System at its proposed Northland wind farm. (for additional information see the Northland Advocate new article at the following LINK).
December 15, 2008 - Offutt Air Force Base to install MERLIN Aircraft Birdstrike Avoidance Radar System: U.S. Air Force Offutt AFB will take delivery of a MERLIN system in late January. The system will provide real-time detection, tracking and alerting of hazardous bird activity on the air field supporting the 55th Wing flight safety. The 55th is the largest wing in Air combat Command and is one of the most diversified wings in the Air Force with responsibilities in worldwide reconnaissance, command and control communications, airlift and a full complement of support organizations.