When nesting birds started causing power outages at Benton REA’s Kennedy Substation, the electric cooperative needed a fix, and fast. Two AVIX Autonomic Mark II lasers proved to be the answer, achieving a 100% reduction in bird activity and zero bird-caused outages since installation.

Benton Rural Electric Association (REA) is an electric cooperative running 15 substations across three counties in southern Washington, United States. The area is a natural feeding, roosting and nesting ground for migratory birds, and doves and starlings had made the Kennedy Substation their home.

Benton REA deployed two AVIX Autonomic Mark II units, directing a moving green laser beam at the specific areas of the substation where birds were nesting and roosting. As the beam approaches, birds perceive it as a threat and leave immediately.

The AVIX Autonomic Mark II is a fixed, automated laser bird deterrent built for continuous, unattended protection of large or hard-to-access sites.

The two AVIX Autonomic Mark II units have been in use at the Kennedy Substation since July 2020.

“The birds have learned that the interior of the substation is not somewhere they want to be.“

Joel Mietzner, Systems Engineer, Benton REA

For electrical substations and other unmanned energy infrastructure, the AVIX Autonomic Mark II offers a humane, automated way to keep birds away from sensitive equipment and cut the risk of costly outages.

When starlings and finches were eating into the grape harvest at Bouchard Finlayson, the winery needed a sustainable fix that would last. The AVIX Autonomic Mark II proved to be the answer, cutting bird numbers by 99% and bringing crop loss down from 5% to zero.

Bouchard Finlayson is one of South Africa’s leading boutique wine cellars, set in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley near Hermanus. The estate is known worldwide for its Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, but birds were taking a steady share of the crop.

With sustainability a priority, Viticulturist Stefan Hartmann wanted a bird control method that was environmentally friendly and would stay effective long term.

After researching options online, Stefan chose the AVIX Autonomic Mark II. A single unit has been protecting 0.8 hectares of vineyard since 2020.

The AVIX Autonomic Mark II is a fully automated laser bird deterrent built for continuous protection of open sites such as vineyards, farms and industrial areas. Once set up, it runs 24/7, and its laser patterns can be shaped around specific rows or zones. Birds do not get used to the moving beam over time, and according to AVIX, the system reduces bird nuisance by more than 70%.

Settings and monitoring are handled through the AVIX Connect app on iOS and Android. Maintenance is minimal, with the laser bulb replaced roughly every 3 to 5 years, according to AVIX.

After installation, Stefan noticed the birds change their behaviour and eventually leave the vineyard.

“The laser is really easy to use, easy to set up, the app works well, it is very straightforward.”

Stefan added that “the best feature of the AVIX Autonomic Mark II laser is that there is no labor involved and that it is environmentally friendly”, and said he would recommend it to fellow farmers.

Stefan Hartmann, Viticulturist, Bouchard Finlayson

For vineyards where every percentage point of yield matters, the AVIX Autonomic Mark II offers a sustainable, hands-off way to protect grapes without nets, noise or chemicals.

When gulls took over the top deck of Victoria Shopping Centre’s car park, driving customers away and costing hours of cleaning every day, management needed a solution that worked.

AVIX Autonomic laser bird control proved to be the answer, eliminating bird activity completely within months.

Between April and October, gulls perched on the top level of the car park overnight, fouling the deck and driving away customers. Some visitors were reluctant to park or walk through the area, and some reported being attacked by the birds. At its worst, gulls occupied the entire top floor, and staff ran a three-hour cleaning operation every day just to keep it usable.

Noisemakers and bird repellent tapes were tried first but proved impractical or ineffective. Management needed a solution that would protect visitors and cut the ongoing labour cost, not another short-term fix.

After researching bird control options, management chose the AVIX Autonomic, an automated laser bird deterrent, for its safe, clean and quiet operation. The unit has been in use since April 2016, covering the top deck of the car park, a projection area of 0.51 hectares.

Safety was built into how the system was run:

For a public car park, the AVIX Autonomic worked as an effective gull deterrent that could run unattended overnight without disrupting daytime access.

The AVIX Autonomic is a fixed, automated laser bird deterrent that runs continuously once installed, covering large open areas without any manual operation.

Within a few months of installation, the number of gulls perching at the facility fell from over 100 to zero. The birds did not become accustomed to the laser, so the results held long term. Cleaning costs linked to bird waste were eliminated, and once customers noticed the birds and mess were gone, they returned to using the top level of the car park.

“The Autonomic is a brilliant tool that helped us solve many issues connected with bird nuisance!“

Mark Groom, Property Maintenance Manager, Victoria Shopping Centre

For busy public spaces like car parks, the AVIX Autonomic offers a way to clear gulls without harming them, protecting visitors, cutting labour costs and restoring use of the affected area.

When geese overran the fairways at Millennium Golf, acoustic deterrents couldn’t keep up. The Agrilaser Handheld proved to be the answer, reducing the goose population by 92%.

Millennium Golf, in Belgium, has several water bodies and a naturally humid course, conditions geese find hard to resist. Head Greenkeeper Rudi Hermans was dealing with around 500 birds settling across the fairways, each producing roughly 760g of droppings a day and steadily damaging the grass.

A news report on goose deterrence at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport prompted Rudi to look at laser technology instead.

Rudi bought the Agrilaser Handheld, a portable laser device that lets an operator target and move birds at long range without approaching them directly. The unit projects a green laser beam that geese instinctively perceive as an approaching physical threat, triggering an immediate flight response with no harm to the bird.

The Agrilaser Handheld is a portable, battery-powered laser bird deterrent built for on-demand use across open sites like golf courses, farms and industrial yards.

Shining the beam towards the geese each morning was enough to send them off honking, and repeating this daily had a lasting effect. Once deterred, the geese stopped treating the course as a safe place to return to.

“I can tell from practice that it works! We have repelled the hundreds of geese that were residing here, in an animal-friendly way.“

Rudi Hermans, Head Greenkeeper, Millennium Golf

For golf courses and other large open sites, a portable laser like the Agrilaser Handheld offers a fast, humane way to clear geese from fairways, water bodies and grassland, without the habituation problems that come with acoustic deterrents.

When bird guano covered the storage tanks at Vendrig Transport and Liquid Solutions, a combination of AVIX Autonomic and Agrilaser Handheld laser bird control proved to be the answer, eliminating the problem.

Vendrig Transport and Liquid Solutions operates 42 fluid storage tanks across an 8 acre site in Someren, the Netherlands, serving the food and pet food industry. Crows, jackdaws, magpies and pigeons were active across the tanks all year round, from sunrise to sunset, leaving guano across surfaces that customers and visitors could see.

After researching options online, the owner trialled an Agrilaser Handheld, then went on to buy both an AVIX Autonomic and an Agrilaser Handheld to work together.

AVIX Autonomic is a fixed, automated laser unit that runs continuously once installed, covering a large area without any manual operation.

Agrilaser Handheld is a portable, operator-directed laser for clearing birds the automated system doesn’t fully deter.

The AVIX Autonomic has been in use at Vendrig since January 2017 and reduced bird numbers by 95% on its own. A small number of persistent pigeons remained, which the Agrilaser Handheld was then used to clear. Together, the two systems achieved a 100% reduction in bird activity across the site.

“The Autonomic has been working perfectly for us. We did not have to worry about it since the installation. It’s safe to say that the Autonomic got rid of 95% of the birds. Except for a few stubborn pigeons. We chase those away with the Agrilaser Handheld.“

Owner, Vendrig Transport and Liquid Solutions

Reflecting on the decision, the owner was clear it was about brand image rather than concern over damage to the tanks:

“It wasn’t about the quality of the product or because we are afraid of erosion. The tanks can handle a little bird poo. Buying the Agrilasers was purely a branding consideration.“

For sites where appearance and brand reputation matter as much as the underlying structure, combining a fixed automated laser with a handheld unit offers full coverage plus the flexibility to clear the birds that persist.

When wild birds put Orchard Eggs’ free-roaming chickens at risk of avian flu exposure, the East Sussex farm needed a solution that actually worked. AVIX Autonomic laser bird control was the answer, cutting invasive wild bird numbers by 96%.

Orchard Eggs is a family-run organic farm in Forest Row, East Sussex, where flocks roam freely across an orchard setting. Wild pigeons, crows and pheasants gathered on the farm between January and April, foraging from dusk till dawn and putting both the chickens and staff at risk of avian flu exposure.

Farms with free-range flocks in the UK are subject to strict biosecurity requirements during periods of elevated avian flu risk, which can include netting outdoor areas or housing birds indoors depending on the specific measures in force at the time. Neither option worked well for Orchard Eggs. At 60 acres, the farm was too large to net, and its biodynamic methods relied on the flock roaming freely around the clock. The farm needed a different way to reduce wild bird contact without confining its own chickens.

Owner Daniel Hoeberichts first read about laser bird deterrence in a newspaper article citing reductions of 70 to 100%. Within weeks he arranged to trial the AVIX Autonomic on the farm, running it from January to April 2016 to test whether it could genuinely reduce wild bird presence around the chickens.

Daniel was sceptical at first. He noticed fewer birds on the farm but wasn’t convinced the change was down to the laser, so he removed the system as a test. Within a month, the birds had returned, which settled the question for him and his colleagues: the AVIX Autonomic was doing the job.

The system suited the farm’s needs in ways netting couldn’t:

The AVIX Autonomic has been in use at Orchard Eggs since January 2017. Daily wild bird numbers fell from around 50 to just 2, a 96% reduction. With far fewer wild birds foraging near the flock, the risk of avian flu exposure dropped sharply, hygiene improved through fewer droppings, and the personal safety risk to staff handling the birds was reduced.

“The Autonomic helped us to protect our chickens from avian flu spread by invasive wild birds. We are very happy with the system!”

Daniel Hoeberichts, Owner, Orchard Eggs

Daniel was convinced enough by the results that he projected the laser onto a neighbouring farm to demonstrate it. His neighbour saw the same effect and went on to get their own unit.

The AVIX Autonomic offers a practical way to support biosecurity on farms where netting or housing flocks indoors isn’t feasible, giving farmers a way to reduce wild bird contact while keeping their own animals free-range.

When gulls turned GA Pet Food Partners’ riverside facility into a daily battle of mess and disruption, the family-owned pet food producer needed a solution that actually worked. The AVIX Autonomic laser bird control proved to be the answer, cutting bird activity by 95%.

The GA Pet Food Partners site sits close to a river, making it a magnet for gulls all year round. Herring gulls and black-headed gulls perched on rooftops from sunrise to sunset, waiting for pet food products to be moved between buildings by forklift before swooping down to scavenge spillage or land on the product mid-transfer.

At its worst, around 200 gulls were active on site.

The result was fouling, damage to property and product, and a poor impression for a producer built on high hygiene standards. Three bird scaring kites, tried earlier, became tangled and had no lasting effect. The business needed a proven product, not another improvised fix.

After looking into the alternatives, the managers chose the AVIX Autonomic, an automated laser bird deterrent. The unit sweeps a moving laser beam across the site, which birds instinctively treat as an approaching danger. That triggers a flight response, and the constant movement of the beam keeps the area clear around the clock once the product is configured.

At GA Pet Food Partners, one AVIX Autonomic unit covered a projection area of 2.6 hectares (around 6.4 acres) and has been running since June 2016. During the first phase it was used alongside an audible deterrent to strengthen the effect.

This is what the product delivered for GA Pet Food Partners over the failed kites:

For a food site plagued by gulls, the AVIX Autonomic works as a practical seagull repellent, applying steady pressure without noise, chemicals or physical barriers.

After close to a year of running the AVIX Autonomic alongside the audible deterrent, the outcome was clear. Gull numbers dropped from around 200 to between 7 and 20, a 95% reduction in activity, directly attributed to the product.

With the birds largely gone, damage to property and product fell sharply, hygiene across the site improved, and the facility looked the way a premium producer expects it to.

“We were not sure how effective the Autonomic would be but after a year of the operation, we have got 95% of bird reduction which made us certain to buy one more Autonomic.”

John Schofield, Hygiene Manager, GA Pet Food Partners

The results convinced the team to order a second AVIX Autonomic unit. Reflecting on the decision, John Schofield added:

“We have never put a value on the cost of gulls to the business. It was more a fact that they were a nuisance and presented a bad image for the company to visitors. Now we can show that we are being proactive in choosing an effective method of bird deterrence.”

For food production sites in particular, where hygiene and reputation carry as much weight as physical damage, the AVIX Autonomic offers a humane and reliable way to keep birds off the property for the long term.

A 40-acre vineyard in Eden Valley, South Australia, faced severe crop losses during harvest season. Rosellas, crows, and galahs descended on the property at sunrise and dusk between January and May, attracted to ripening grapes. The bird pressure resulted in yield losses reaching 25% annually, creating a significant financial impact on the operation.

The vineyard had previously invested in bird netting to protect their grapes. However, this traditional method proved both ineffective and expensive. Despite spending over £20,000 each year on netting, substantial crop losses continued. The physical barrier failed to adequately deter the persistent bird activity, with thousands of birds still accessing the vines and damaging fruit during the critical harvest period from January through May.

The ongoing losses and ineffective protection prompted the vineyard owners to seek a more reliable and cost-effective bird control solution that could cover the entire 40-acre property.

Two years ago, the vineyard implemented automated laser bird deterrent technology, installing two AVIX Autonomic Mark II systems to provide complete coverage across the 40-acre site. The decision to adopt laser technology was based on its proven effectiveness in agricultural settings and its ability to operate continuously during the high-risk sunrise and dusk periods when bird activity peaked.

The AVIX Autonomic Mark II systems offered several advantages over the failed netting approach:

The impact of the AVIX Autonomic laser systems was immediate and sustained. Bird presence decreased by 85%, with numbers dropping from thousands to approximately 300 birds. This substantial reduction in bird pressure directly translated to protected crop yields.

The vineyard has maintained these results consistently over two years of operation, demonstrating the long-term effectiveness of the AVIX Autonomic technology in preventing bird habituation.

The Eden Valley vineyard’s experience validates laser technology as a practical solution for agricultural bird control. By achieving an 85% reduction in bird damage whilst eliminating the recurring costs of ineffective netting, the AVIX Autonomic Mark II systems proved their value as a long-term investment.

The case demonstrates how automated laser bird deterrents can transform crop protection in viticulture. The combination of immediate effectiveness, sustained results over multiple seasons, and substantial cost savings positions this technology as a viable alternative to traditional methods that fail to deliver adequate protection.

For vineyards facing similar challenges with bird damage during harvest season, the Eden Valley results provide evidence that laser deterrent systems can protect yields, ensure economic viability, and deliver measurable return on investment.

E. & J. Gallo Winery has established itself as a leader in sustainable viticulture, consistently implementing innovative solutions to reduce environmental impact whilst maintaining exceptional wine quality.

Their 2024 Sustainability Impact Report highlights numerous environmental initiatives, from greenhouse gas reduction to advanced water conservation. Among these progressive projects, their adoption of the AVIX Autonomic laser bird deterrent system stands out as a proven solution for protecting crops through technology that safeguards both harvest and biodiversity.

Birds present a substantial challenge to vineyard operations, particularly as grapes transition through the veraison stage. Their natural ability to detect colour changes in ripening fruit draws them to vineyards in significant numbers.

At Gallo’s Talbott Vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands, flocks of birds would descend on grape clusters, pecking at the fruit and causing considerable damage. This behaviour threatened both the quality and quantity of the harvest, requiring an effective yet sustainable solution.

After evaluating multiple bird control methods, Gallo selected the AVIX Autonomic laser bird deterrent system based on its effectiveness and environmental credentials. The technology uses a solar-powered green laser beam that continuously scans the vineyard. Birds perceive the moving laser as a physical threat, prompting them to leave the area and significantly reducing the time spent feeding on grapes.

The AVIX system delivers several advantages that aligned with Gallo’s requirements:

Since implementing the AVIX Autonomic laser deterrent at Talbott Vineyard, Gallo has recorded a marked decrease in bird-related crop damage. The vineyard has maintained its exacting quality standards for grape production, validating the system’s effectiveness in a commercial viticulture setting.

Currently, 13 solar-powered AVIX Autonomic units protect the site. The documented success at Talbott Vineyard has positioned the technology for potential wider adoption across additional Gallo properties, demonstrating the company’s confidence in the laser bird deterrent solution.

This investment reflects Gallo’s assessment that laser bird deterrent technology represents a practical solution for modern vineyard protection. By selecting the AVIX Autonomic system, Gallo demonstrates how proven technology can support both agricultural productivity and environmental responsibility.

The laser bird deterrent system has become an integral component of Gallo’s crop protection strategy. As they continue exploring solutions that benefit both their operations and the surrounding ecosystem, their experience with AVIX Autonomic technology reinforces the viability of laser systems for sustainable viticulture and validates their effectiveness in protecting premium grape production.

When Sheeplands Farm installed the UK’s first floating solar array, they didn’t anticipate that their innovative renewable energy solution would become a favourite perching spot for hundreds of seagulls and ducks. The laser bird control technology we install delivered a 75% reduction in bird activity and boosted energy production by up to 20%.

Mark Bennett, owner of Sheeplands Farm, had installed an innovative floating solar panel system on his 60 million litre irrigation reservoir. The 800 Trina panels were designed to generate clean energy while preserving valuable farmland – but they quickly became a magnet for local wildlife.

The problems were escalating rapidly:

After researching various options, Mark Bennett chose the same Agrilaser Autonomic technology that we install and maintain for renewable energy clients across the UK.

This automated laser bird deterrent system offered several key advantages:

The results exceeded expectations and have been maintained for over seven years:

Energy Production:

Operational Benefits:

Cost Savings:

“The Agrilaser Autonomic could be the best innovative product in the world for bird repellent!”

Mark Bennett, Owner of Sheeplands Farm

Mark Bennett was so impressed with the results that he became an advocate for the technology, particularly praising its effectiveness compared to traditional methods that had failed at his site.

This case study demonstrates why we recommend automated laser systems for renewable energy facilities:

Sheeplands Farm’s success story shows how laser bird control is particularly effective for:

If your solar panels, wind turbines, or other renewable energy equipment are suffering from bird-related efficiency losses, the technology proven at Sheeplands Farm could transform your operation. Our free site surveys help determine the best laser configuration for your specific site and energy infrastructure.

The same automated system that delivered a 20% efficiency boost at the UK’s first floating solar farm is available nationwide through our professional installation and maintenance service.