Image by Ayman Ahmed, from Unsplash
Japan Deploys Laser Drones to Stop Bird Flu Outbreaks
- Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
- Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager
Japanese telecommunications giant NTT has launched a new high-tech defense against avian influenza , drones equipped with repellent lasers designed to scare off wild birds before they spread the deadly virus.
In a rush? Here are the quick facts:
- Over 3.3 million chickens were culled in Chiba early 2025.
- Lasers emit red and green rays to scare off wild birds.
- The Chiba government offers subsidies covering one-third of installation costs.
The project, developed by NTT e-Drone Technology and NTT East Japan in collaboration with Chiba Prefecture, aims to protect the local poultry industry after a severe bird flu outbreak earlier this year led to the culling of more than 3.3 million chickens.
“Between January and February 2025, a severe situation unfolded within Chiba Prefecture, resulting in the culling of over 3.3 million poultry,” NTT said in its press release , as reported by Tom’s Hardware .
Wild birds such as crows and pigeons are known carriers of avian influenza, spreading the virus through direct contact or droppings.
The new system uses the BB102 drone, which fires multiple red and green laser beams proven to deter “pigeons, crows, starlings, deer, etc.” The light system uses flickering beams instead of steady beams to stop birds from getting used to the light.
NTT reports that the lasers produce an automatic sense of unease in animals which prevents them from accessing poultry areas through methods that do not involve dangerous substances or loud sounds.
The drones can operate autonomously, covering wide areas and adapting to changing routes of bird intrusion.
“By equipping the drone manufactured by NTT e-Drone with the bird and animal pest repellent device ‘Kurna Move,’ we can effectively prevent wild birds from entering poultry farms,” the company explained.
The Chiba government provides financial support through subsidies which pay up to one-third of installation expenses from its ¥20 million budget to promote adoption. NTT plans to expand the technology beyond Chiba to other regions and explore similar uses for disinfection and heat control in farms.
The program shows how Japan continues to adopt automated sustainable systems for agricultural disease protection at an increasing rate.
Image by Annika Gordon, from Unsplash
ICE Plans 24/7 Social Media Monitoring Program For Deportation Operations
- Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
- Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has announced plans to increase its social media surveillance through 29 permanent private contractors who will conduct continuous online monitoring.
In a rush? Here are the quick facts:
- The program will use nearly 30 private contractors to monitor online activity.
- Contractors will analyze social media posts from Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and others.
- ICE plans to integrate AI and spend over $1 million yearly on surveillance tech.
According to WIRED , federal contracting documents show that the agency aims to establish a multiyear program that would turn social media posts into intelligence for deportation raids, and arrests.
The program will be based out of two ICE targeting centers — the National Criminal Analysis and Targeting Center in Williston, Vermont, and the Pacific Enforcement Response Center in Santa Ana, California. Each facility will be staffed with private analysts who will “scour Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and other platforms, converting posts and profiles into fresh leads for enforcement raids,” as reported by WIRED.
The planning documents show Vermont will use 12 contractors but California will keep 16 staff members working in shifts at the site. The analysts will gather open-source intelligence from VKontakte, and other foreign and mainstream platforms, through public posts and photos and messages.
The investigators will access LexisNexis Accurint and Thomson Reuters CLEAR commercial databases to build comprehensive profiles through the integration of social media information with property data and phone and utility records.
The system needs to produce results right away because it must process critical cases within thirty minutes while completing less critical tasks before the end of a typical workday.
ICE plans to use artificial intelligence in their operations and will spend more than $1 million each year on advanced surveillance technology.
The American Civil Liberties Union and Electronic Privacy Information Center consider ICE’s expanding surveillance system to pose an important threat to personal privacy and individual freedoms.
The tools present a risk of being used to monitor immigrants and journalists and activists which could merge security functions with political surveillance.
