France–Pakistan collaboration brings an autonomous, environmentally friendly bird-strike prevention solution to one of South Asia’s busiest airports.
ATERMES, a French innovator in advanced surveillance technologies, together with Pakistan’s engineering leader The Imperial Electric Company (IEC), has secured a milestone contract from the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) to deploy an AI-powered Bird Repelling System (BRS) at Lahore International Airport. This project marks a significant technological breakthrough in aviation safety, bringing fully automated wildlife hazard management to a major South Asian gateway.
The core of the solution is SURICATE, the AI-driven multi-sensor surveillance platform developed by ATERMES in France. Combining optronics, embedded AI and edge computing, SURICATE continuously scans airfields to detect avian movement in real time. Once a threat is identified, the system automatically activates an integrated network of acoustic and laser deterrence devices, steering birds away from runways and taxiways without manual intervention.
“By merging AI, optics, and deterrence, we’re transforming bird control into a predictive and eco-responsible process.” — Lionel Thomas
According to Lionel Thomas, Chairman of ATERMES, the project goes beyond routine airport operations by redefining how airfields approach wildlife management. SURICATE’s predictive intelligence allows Lahore Airport to shift from traditional time-based or manual bird-scaring practices to a fully autonomous, adaptive, and energy-efficient system that acts only when necessary.
IEC’s role centres on integration, installation and long-term support in Pakistan. Sajid Jamal, Executive Director of The Imperial Electric Company, said the partnership reflects Pakistan’s growing move toward AI-enabled aviation systems, positioning Lahore as the first airport in the region with such an advanced, eco-friendly repelling infrastructure.
The initiative also underscores deepening cooperation between France and Pakistan in technological innovation. ATERMES will deliver detection and control systems, while IEC ensures on-ground execution, creating a scalable blueprint for other airports in the region facing increasing bird-strike risks.
By combining precise AI detection with automated deterrence, the new Bird Repelling System marks a turning point in how airports safeguard aircraft operations while minimizing ecological disruption—an approach that could soon become an international benchmark for sustainable aviation safety.
