HENSOLDT and Robin Partner to Protect Barn Swallows and Enhance Safety at King Shaka International Airport

The Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica), or in isiZulu, the inkonjane yaseYurobhu ('swallow from Europe'), is an intercontinental migrant bird species that spends the austral summer mainly in the southern hemisphere, including southern Africa.

Mount Moreland Barn Swallow roost in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa, is known for its remarkable numbers, where flocks of ~3 million gather each evening to roost from September to early March. Though spectacular, these gatherings leave the swallows vulnerable to airstrikes and create safety challenges for the nearby airport, a few kilometres away.

In response, prime contractor HENSOLDT has enlisted Robin’s support in deploying the purpose-built full 3D avian radar, MAX, with a Bird Viewer web-based display system at Durban’s King Shaka International Airport. The deployment marks the first collaboration of its kind on the continent, with KSIA being one of only two airports on the African continent with this technology. This shows a growing need to find the balance between increasing safety and protecting biodiversity at airports.

MAX, which makes its debut in South Africa and brings its deployment tally to six continents, combines 3D (altitude information with 60° elevation coverage) with 360° horizontal coverage, and an instrumented range of 15 km. 

Capabilities include rotation at 60 revolutions per minute, the fastest in the market. This radar system enables airports around the globe to track bird movements in real time, all around them, all year round. 

As well as supporting the airport in an ecological and operational manner, the collaborative initiative brings together a multitude of expertise.
 
HENSOLDT: As the project’s lead contractor, HENSOLDT organised the integration of radar technology with local requirements, overseeing logistics and aligning the project with broader ESG principles. 

Robin Radar Systems: Robin Radar is the Original Equipment Manufacturer, supplying MAX, as well as providing training and skill-building for users and the airport operator, Airports Company South Africa (ACSA).

ACSA: ACSA owns and operates South Africa's nine principal airports, including three international gateways: OR Tambo, Cape Town, and King Shaka International Airports.  

University of KwaZulu-Natal: In an on-site collaboration with the University of KwaZulu-Natal, the radar data will be shared to support ongoing research and conservation efforts. The university’s involvement in analysing the data could be pivotal in drawing insights that guide sustainable practices for years to come. 

Protecting the Barn Swallow

As a migratory species that roosts communally, the Barn Swallow roosts are characterised by their large size and long-term, site-specific use of wetlands. These are vital habitats for the species during September to March, its non-breeding season in southern Africa. 

These roosts are essential for maintaining the barn swallow population, supporting their ecological role in controlling insect populations, and conserving other wetland biodiversity. Protecting the species and their roost habitat includes understanding their unique behaviours, movements, and habits. 

Researchers from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Discipline of Biological Sciences, are contributing to the radar programme by gathering data, correlating field-identified birds with radar-detected birds, and loading observed bird species names into the database. Correlating field- and web-based data helps refine our radar technology to better understand the local environment. 

This is how MAX, which innovates for real-time monitoring and data collection of bird (and bat) behaviour, enters the setting at King Shaka International Airport. 

In addition to mitigating the risk of bird strikes, the airport has deployed the system to support a dedicated study of the Barn Swallow and other bird species in the airport vicinity. These data will enhance habitat management policies and bring safety and operational efficiency to new heights. 

A partnership forged in radar

HENSOLDT, a global high-tech pioneer for defence and security electronics and an established Robin partner, is committed to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles. 

The project in Durban highlights the company’s focus on innovation through targeted investments in safety, security, and conservation initiatives.

“HENSOLDT has extensive experience integrating radar technologies at airports across Africa,” says Christiaan Pelser, Head of ATM and Services at HENSOLDT South Africa. “This project builds on that expertise, combining operational safety with environmental responsibility in a way that reflects the evolving priorities of the aviation sector.”

Beyond defence, HENSOLDT’s technologies have supported wildlife protection efforts globally – from safeguarding rhino populations in Africa to monitoring sensitive ecosystems in remote regions. 

Pelser comments: “The King Shaka International project adds another chapter to this broader commitment to protecting both critical infrastructure and the natural environment. The Durban deployment highlights a growing recognition across sectors that safeguarding ecosystems and ensuring safe operations are not opposing priorities. With the right technology and partnerships, they reinforce one another.”

Robin Manager of Customer Success - Avian, Alex Coccia, adds: “Though the MAX radar serves as an effective tool to bolster safety and empower bird control teams, its goals in this project are also very much centred around conservation. We’re excited to support King Shaka International, which is championing ecological practices as well as safety, and to work alongside our partners, HENSOLDT. We’ll provide training, support, and expertise, alongside our radar system.”

Tracking collective bird movements

MAX delivers 3D, 360° awareness, 365 days a year. With uniquely detailed detection and an extensive reporting database, it can track thousands of birds or bats simultaneously.

Additionally, the Report Viewer feature stores manually ground-truthed observations, environmental conditions, flight characteristics, and more, making it ideal for extensive analyses. Because MAX monitors continuously and equally well in darkness, it is also well-placed to track behaviours and gather data under the cover of night.

Coccia says: “Avian studies like this traditionally relied heavily on human observations, limited by daylight and time. GPS trackers are valuable in uncovering specific bird behaviours, but it is not feasible to tag more than a few dozen birds. Radar can track large flocks, revealing their size, flight paths, altitudes, speeds, and more. Its affinity for mass movements makes it an ideal tool for the study of the Barn Swallow and other bird species in the vicinity of the airport in Durban.”

Setting a new standard

The King Shaka International Airport project sets a new standard for how aviation and conservation can coexist.

The airport’s focus on protecting Africa’s birdlife highlights a growing recognition within the industry that safeguarding local ecosystems can and should go hand-in-hand with operational safety. It serves as a model for airports worldwide.