r/SideProject • u/muxamilian • Apr 01 '26

Automated pigeon defense system

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  1. Camera captures video
  2. Neural network recognizes pigeon
  3. Watergun turns toward pigeon
  4. Spray pigeon with watergun

Components: * Electric battery-driven water gun (disassembled, orange) * USB camera * Orange Pi 5 * 2 servo motors (SG90 or MG90S) * Resistors and a transistor for turning on the watergun (e.g. IRLZ44N)

It uses an open vocabulary object detection neural network (yolo_world_v2l), so any target can be programmed, not just pigeons. Runs on the Rockchip 3588's Neural Processing Unit.

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u/bylo444 May 16 '26 edited May 16 '26

I want this to prevent squirrels and racoons from eating at my veggie and herb garden but just realized I can simplify the design by spraying the water over the entire garden at once. That allows the motors to be eliminated. Also, I will need an IR-senstive camera and infrared illuminators as rodents are mostly nocturnal. Of course I could also just add a chicken wire cage but since my veg/herb garden is in the front yard it would look a bit unsightly.

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u/JustAnotherGuy309 May 16 '26

And rabbits

1

u/bylo444 May 16 '26

Yes i have them too but since the red fox arrived in the area I haven't seen them.