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Crop Protection From Birds, Agriculture, Horticulture

 

VIGILANTE & LIGHTWEIGHT HELIKITES
SILENT, LIGHTER-THAN-AIR FLIES WITH OR WITHOUT WIND

 

What is a Helikite? Hwo does it protect crops from birds?

The helium filled Helikite is a lighter-than-air combination of a mylar baloon and specially designed kite. It was conceived and patented  by zoologist and agronomist Sandy Allsopp. Farmers and scientists had found flying kites extremely effective at scaring birds when windy but needed something that would also fly in no wind. There are two different birdscaring Helikites available. The Vigilante Helikite for temperate climates and the Lightweight Helikite for hot climates and tree fruit. Each Helikite comes with 5 spare balloons, carbon-fibre spar, special high strength flying line, an optional flashing tail, clips, swivels and full instructions.  All Helikites are protected by UK Patents. 

 

 

 

The Vigilante Helikite is the primary Helikite birdscarer. Thousands have been sold to arable farmers, fruit growers and other very satisfied customers worldwide. A unique combination of kite, helium balloon and protective balloon cover the Vigilante Helikite flies up to 200 feet with up to 20 mph or without any wind to scare birds over areas as large as 25 acres. The hovering Helikite mimics the action of birds of prey as it moves around the sky. The Vigilante Helikite will come down in the rain but the unique protective cover protects the balloon from punctures until it dries out and automatically re-launches itself again. They are very frugal with helium – only using a few pence worth of the gas per day. The disposable inner balloons tend to last about 3 to 4 weeks before they wear out. Then they can be replaced very quickly. Vigilante Helikites are easy to transport in cars and can be stored anywhere. They are tough and well suited to their rough lives on farms worldwide.

Protecting farmland and agriculture in England
Landfill with no seagulls after using helikite
Landfill tip with seagulls

The Lightweight Helikite protects crops with good crop cover such as peas or laid cereals. They are also suitable for use in hot climates on all fruit, vegetable and arable crops. The silver Mylar balloon of the Lightweight Helikite is exposed, but it is still strong enough for many uses. The balloon is held onto the kite with straps. This means it is very lightweight and so flies better in extremely hot conditions and around buildings. Lightweight Helikites require no adjustment and fly happily in winds up to 25 mph (Force 6) in hot or cold climates. Lightweight Helikites are not as tough as Vigilante Helikites so Lightweight Helikites cannot be used on winter crops overnight or anywhere they are likely to come down onto bare ground when wet. To counter this problem, Lightweight Helikites can be used with our optional 42 foot tall, aluminium Helikite Poles on landfill sites, factory rooftops and feedlots.  Like any Helikites they are superb at scaring problem birds over vast areas. 

Lightweight Helikite
crops before and after robins- helikites

 

BIRDS CONTROLLED
PIGEONS
ROOKS
SPARROWS
FINCHES
BLACKBIRD
STARLINGS
SEAGULLS
SMALL BIRDS
GROUND NESTERS

 

 

SITUATIONS
ARABLE FARMS
PIG & CATTLE FEEDLOTS
HORTICULTURE
SPORTS CENTRES
GOLF COURSES
RESORT HOTELS
FARMS
PARKS

 

Call us today to discuss your situation on +44 (0) 1425 654967
 

 

Effective:

  • Wild hawk predators constantly reinforce natural fear

  • Controls areas Up to 10 Ha. (25 Acres)

  • Controls all wild birds

  • No shooting required

Silent:

  • No complaints about noise

Low Cost:

  • Low cost to buy and run per acre

Reliable

  • Very predictable area of control

Long Term Control

  • Very low habituation

  • Environmentally friendly

 

Before Helikites were invented, agricultural bird control had always been a hit or miss affair, with old fashioned scarecrows or even the more modern bangers and wailers giving very variable protection, making it impossible for farmers to rely on them for long to counter expensive and often crippling crop losses. Birds are unpredictable and planning for them is very difficult. The scientifically designed, patented Helikite is the first and one of our best bird control systems that really works well over a long period of time because wild birds find it extremely difficult to overcome the innate terror of predatory hawks that Helikites create. Real hawks reinforce, so habituation is very unlikely - even after months without shooting. If you have a difficult bird problem the powerful Helikite is one of the few proven birdscarers really capable of protecting your livelihood.

 

ARABLE CROPS

Vigilante Helikites create a large bird-free “exclusion-zone” around themselves that is related to the height of the Helikite in the sky. Helikites provide such dependable control that farmers can now grow any arable crop with confidence that they need not be destroyed by bird pests. Flying at 200ft the Vigilante Helikite gives the largest area of control of any agricultural birdscarer.

 

FRUIT CROPS

The high altitude of Lightweight and Vigilante Helikites does not allow bird pests to hide in the crop foliage.  This is why Helikites are extremely popular worldwide for top fruit protection.

 

SILENT BIRD CONTROL

With the Helikite, angry neighbours, frightened livestock, and visits from the noise complaints authorities, are things of the past. Noise is not required for effective bird control. Sight is the major sense in birds and so they are affected far more by the correct visual stimulus than by anything they hear - just like the human fear of snakes and spiders. You can site a Helikite next to populated areas where noisy bangers or wailers would cause objections. Local people will appreciate your concern for them and environment. You will get a better night's sleep as well! Silent control is unique to the new Helikite and it makes birdscaring feasible in many previously impossible situations - like pig or cattle units, in grain stores or near homes. Humane to all, and safe - no explosive gas. The revolutionary Helikite allows bird control where none was possible before. 

 

HELIKITE POLES

Designed to facilitate the use of Helikites or normal Delta Kites around buildings, on landfill sites, arable trial sites or above very high value crops. The poles are 41ft (13 metres) high and have 39ft of line extending from the top. Therefore they allow a Helikite to fly up to 80ft high whilst eliminating the possibility of the Helikite ever damaging itself on the ground or rooftops. On landfill sites they ensure that the lorries and compactors never contact a Helikite or its flying line.

 

 

VIGILANTE HELIKITE

Contents of Kit:1 x VX sail cover 1 x pack of 5 balloons 1 x tail pack 1 x 60m Dyneema line 1 x set of carbon fibre spars

 

LIGHTWEIGHT HELIKITE

Contents of Kit:1 x LW sail cover 1 x pack of 5 balloons 1 x tail pack 1 x 60m line 1 x set of carbon fibre spars

 

Vital Birdscarer Features                      Helikite  Propane Banger   Sonic-Wailers   Flashing Scarers

 

Controls up to 25 Acres

 

Very low habituation

 

Reliable on rooks / crows

 

Reliable near animals / silage

 

Silent - no complaints

 

Works over hills and hedges

 

Can work at night

 

Easy to set up and move around

 

No breakable moving parts

 

Costs from less than £140 to buy

 

Costs under £5 / acre

 

Reliable where birds have already started eating

 

No Battery required (that can be stolen)

 

Vital Birdscarer Features 

There is nothing more frustrating than buying a noisy birdscarer that does not perform well. As the birds become more habituated they will creep closer and closer until they are virtually (or actually) sitting on the thing. You will have wasted a lot of time and money and a limited mechanical guarantee does not help.

 

HELIKITES ARE DIFFERENT - THEY WORK.  

Bird Control Systems Ltd offers a full two month guarantee of bird control effectiveness of Helikites against wild bird.

 

 

This will give you ample time to test our claims of long term bird control, because birds tend to get used to many birdscarers after a couple of weeks. Hard winters are no excuse, nor are late sowing, a rookery nearby, or a pigeon flight-path (Helikites cause them to move). Birdscarers should work all the time they are needed within their stated criterion. Do yours?

 

Unrivalled Bird-Control Experience and Data

Please check out your own bird-control situation against our unique acreage chart. 

Depending on the type of bird and the food value of the crop the area protected by one Helikite varies. This is common to all birdscarers. The following table shows the acreage of protection over which the Helikites have proven to be effective against wild birds. 

 

You will not see a chart as detailed as this from any other birdscarer manufacturer.

They may prefer to give you vague promises of the area protected by their scarers. We prefer quantitative, observed data. Helikites control more than twice the area of most scarers. This chart might change slightly over time as we obtain new information from farmers or scientists, but as far as we know, it is the only such chart in existence. We are always interested in any birdscaring data you have. Please ring us. 

 

 

 

 

Area Covered By One Helikite

        (for those needing more coverage, sold through Bird Control Systems LTD -Helikites need helium). 

vigilante helikite

Crop / Use

Acres by one

Hawk Kite

Type of Bird

Use / Crop

Acres by one Hawk Kite

Type of Bird

Rooks / Crows

Emerging Cereals          15

Laid Cereals                  15

Landfill Sites                 1 - 6

Farm Buildings              5

Pig / Cattle Unites         2 - 5

Drilled Maize                10 - 15

Strawberries                 10

Wood Pigeons

Emerging Cereals          20 - 25

Oilseed Rape                20 - 25

Peas                            20

Young Cabbages           15

Beans                          15

Laid Cereals                  15 - 25

Drilled Maze                  15 - 20

Starlings

Cherries / Fruit Crop      5

Strawberries                 7

Farm Buildings              1 - 5

Cattle Units                  1 - 3

Small Birds

Grapes/Bush Crops    3 - 5

Strawberries             3 - 5

Cormorants

Fish Farms               10

Rivers                     400 Metres

Local Geese

Oilseed-Rape            25

Grass/ Cereals          20

Grackles

Fruit Farms              5

Rice                        10

Seagulls

Landfill Sites            1 - 6

Building Sites           2

Migratory Geese

Grass / Cereals        30 - 50

Pheasants

Woodland Edge        1 - 5

U.K. Herons

Fish Farms               10 

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