Can technology exist to prevent the Anthropocene crisis? The increasing processing speed and performance of graphics cards every year only contributes to the mass production of the virtual currency market, deepfake technology, and gossip for fake news. When environmental changes are inevitable, what are some practical actions that would be a possible or impossible solution using human-centered technology?
This project aims to provide a new perspective on the reason for the existence of technology and its value by appropriating human-centered technology that runs parallel to the various life forms on Earth. This mother bird drone, which is modeled after the kestrel by adapting to the city and increasing the population, is equipped with a visual recognition model of the hawk-kestrel, providing new education to other city resident birds to adapt to the city. Through the work, the Ai technology reconstructs the human/non-human relationship as an algorithm and functions as a third party that coordinates the relationship between the two.
Kestrel Drone
Bird Ai project is an extension of the game “Scope of the Clouds (2021)" . The creation of the drone was based on real Urban Air Mobility policy, a study on the problem of collision with birds.
Kestrel Drone: A mother bird Ai drone for birds living in Seoul.
The Kestrel Drone project reimagines drone technology through ecological aesthetics, addressing global environmental challenges. Inspired by a speculative scenario where birds become primary users of drone technology, it explores how drones and birds can coexist by sharing air routes. The Kestrel Drone mimics kestrels, a bird of prey, to guide and protect resident birds in urban environments. Equipped with bird-like wings and an AI tracker, it flaps its wings and emits sounds to simulate a parent bird, fostering safety and community among avian species.
The design draws from biological studies of bird interactions. Birds often learn songs of other species, creating communication and mutual aid networks. When predators are near, birds emit high-frequency warning calls. Leveraging these behaviors, the Kestrel Drone incorporates the shape, sound, and movement of kestrels, using their wing design as a motif. It also builds on research into bird flight mechanics, replicating flapping motions.
Beyond technical achievements, the Kestrel Drone challenges anthropocentric values by envisioning technology serving non-human species. It expands AI possibilities, transforming it into a tool with parallel values that coexist with ecological systems. The project critiques human environmental impact, particularly urban infrastructure dangers to bird populations. By simulating a guiding bird, it aims to reduce bird strikes and foster human-wildlife coexistence.