The company hopes to plant chips in pigeon's brains (Image: Neyry Group)
Russian scientists are developing chips that can be implanted in pigeons' brains for spying purposes. Under a project codenamed PJN-1, chips will be installed into the brains, while the bodies will be fitted with cameras.
Operators would also have the ability to alter the bird's flight path if required. The technology is being developed by Russian technology start-up Neiry Group, who claim that “early real-world use of a new platform that uses live birds equipped with implanted neural interfaces, along with compact electronic imaging modules in a small backpack-style unit. They add: “The goal is to apply biological carriers in situations where mechanical drones face range, weight, or other limitations.”
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Unlike UAVs, pigeons do not need batteries or require frequent landings (Image: Getty)
The initial tests involve pigeons fitted with a small controller, solar panels mounted on the birds' backs, and a camera comparable to the ones already present in public spaces, according to the company.
They add that the interface provides mild stimulation to selected brain regions, prompting the bird to prefer a certain direction.
The bird otherwise behaves naturally; the system just guides it towards a preset route. If imaging is activated, identifiable details are filtered out on-device to comply with local privacy regulations.
Unlike traditional UAVs, biological carriers do not require battery swaps or frequent landings, and their natural flight behavior makes them suitable for long-duration routes – up to 400 km without stops daily.
Neiry says that it is evaluating potential applications such as infrastructure inspections, search-and-rescue support, coastal and environmental observation, and remote-area monitoring.
The company is believed to be heavily bankrolled by the Kremlin (Image: Getty)
Alexander Panov, Neiry's chief executive, is a vocal supporter of Russia's war in Ukraine and has urged the military to go further and seek other ways to gain military advantages on a battlefield that has become largely dominated by drones.
He said previously: “Currently, the solution works with pigeons, but any bird could be used as a carrier.
“To carry more payload, we plan to use ravens. For monitoring coastal facilities, seagulls, and for larger offshore areas, albatrosses.”
The eccentric boss has also previously spoken about his desire to create a higher-level species of human, known as Homo Superior, which would to all intents and purposes replace human beings.
The company is believed to have been granted as much as £10 million in funding from the Kremlin, coming in large part from the National Technology Initiative, a program launched by Vladimir Putin in 2014 to promote Russian leadership in global technology.