Edmonton International Airport launched a thoroughly modern approach to the issue of birds interfering with airplanes.

Atlas Obscura reports a company called Clear Flight Solutions developed drones called “Robirds” that are used to scare birds away from runways. Other airports use methods that range from setting off fireworks to employing snipers.

The Robird is the size and shape of a falcon, a feared predator of many other birds. It flaps its wings and flies, giving the drone a life-like appearance.

The company developed two types of Robirds: a peregrine falcon model to scare off smaller birds, and an eagle model designed to deter birds of any size. “When a predator is introduced in an ecosystem, the system will adapt to the new circumstances,” according to Clear Flight Solutions. “Birds will learn to avoid the active hunting grounds of a bird of prey, with bird numbers dropping by as much as 50 per cent or more, depending on the location and surroundings. Because the Robirds trigger the instinct of birds, there are no chances of habituation in the long term.”

Airports are attractive locations for large groups of birds given the wide-open spaces. Bird strikes are one of the most hazardous threats in aviation, as they cause damage to planes and, sometimes, lead to crashes. The famous emergency landing of the US Airways flight 1549 in the Hudson River in 2009 was the result of Canadian geese being sucked into the engines upon take-off.

Edmonton officials said the drones will fly near, but never over, airport runways.