The German Armed Forces is developing radar-enabled software that can give operators early warnings of collision risks between birds and aircraft.
Known as VoVisWxBw, the system features real-time analysis that processes more than 800,000 radar data points per hour and visualizes them in two- and three-dimensional representations.
Beyond immediate tracking, previous radar observation data are stored in an optimized database to support assessments of current conditions.
It uses film loops to show bird flock movements and make their patterns easier to interpret, while geographical mapping of bird sanctuaries helps identify potential risk zones.
For system security, access is managed through a role-based permission structure that restricts sensitive data to authorized personnel.
The insights the system generates feed directly into BIRDTAM (Bird Notice to Airmen) reports, which are made available to both military and civilian aviation users.
“VoVisWxBw demonstrates how modern technologies and agile methods can concretely improve the operational capability of the German Armed Forces – including in specialized areas such as bird migration consulting,” the announcement stated.
“Especially given the increasing demands on airspace safety, this project makes an important contribution: more precise data and faster analysis for flight operations.”
Until 2025, the Bundeswehr relied on an older software solution to process radar data for bird-migration warnings, which the military said had become technically outdated and only marginally maintainable.
Its replacement was developed within just a few months through an agile development process that wrapped up at the end of 2025.
Tackling Key Challenge
The VoVisWxBw was jointly developed by the Bundeswehr’s Center for Digitalization and Capability Development of the Cyber and Information Domain and the Center for Geoinformation.
The launch comes amid growing concern over the annual migration of billions of birds across Germany.
The Bundeswehr registers more than 130 bird collisions annually, and in 2024, 10 percent of wildlife-strike-related incidents in its flight operations resulted in damage.
The software addresses this by not only assessing bird activity but also rapidly delivering current threat situations and warning messages to personnel.
