Radar-based detection of bats: Experiments in a laboratory flight tunnel

A high number of bats are being killed by wind energy plants (WEPs) either by direct collision with the rotor-blades or due to an abrupt drop in pressure behind the rotor blades, which leads to the rupture of blood vessels and lungs, and thus to death by internal bleeding (barotrauma). In order to prevent a high bat mortality related to WEPs, a radar sensor seems to be attractive, because bat detection can be realized at long distances and with a high sensitivity. The objective of this paper is to demonstrate the detectability of bats using a 24 GHz Doppler Radar sensor in a laboratory flight tunnel. Therefore, the experimental setup as well as the radar sensor and the measurement results will be presented.