{"id":203208,"date":"2026-02-14T19:09:55","date_gmt":"2026-02-14T19:09:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/a-russian-startup-has-transformed-their-brains-into-winged-drones\/"},"modified":"2026-02-14T19:09:57","modified_gmt":"2026-02-14T19:09:57","slug":"a-russian-startup-has-transformed-their-brains-into-winged-drones","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/a-russian-startup-has-transformed-their-brains-into-winged-drones\/","title":{"rendered":"A Russian Startup Has Transformed Their Brains into Winged Drones"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Pigeons Turned Into Biological Drones: A Controversial Innovation<\/h2>\n

Imagine a pigeon soaring gracefully over city buildings, seemingly harmless, yet capable of carrying out complex tasks. Historically, pigeons have played roles as messengers dating back to ancient civilizations and even in wartime efforts, such as the United States Army’s Pigeon Service during World War I. Today, however, a Russian startup named Neiry has taken this concept to a shocking new level: they’ve transformed pigeons into biological drones.<\/p>\n

Neural Interfaces: The Mechanism Behind the Transformation<\/h3>\n

The crux of Neiry’s innovation lies in the implantation of neural interfaces in pigeons\u2019 brains. These interfaces consist of electrodes connected to a stimulator housed on the bird’s head. Essentially, this system serves as a GPS that communicates with the pigeon’s brain. According to Neiry, this setup delivers mild stimulation to specific brain regions, subtly nudging the bird’s directional preferences while allowing it to behave naturally. Rather than erasing the bird’s will, this technology gently biases its route-finding abilities toward predefined paths.<\/p>\n

Why Choose Pigeons Over Drones?<\/h3>\n

Neiry’s choice to utilize pigeons stems from the limitations often faced by traditional drones. CEO Alexander Panov explains that birds can efficiently maneuver in complex environments and fly for extended periods, making them ideal for operations in areas where drones might struggle, such as congested urban settings.<\/p>\n

A significant advantage lies in a pigeon\u2019s natural battery\u2014its ability to fly long distances without the need for recharging. Pigeons can cover up to 400 kilometers in a day, showcasing superior energy efficiency compared to commercial drones, which often have battery lives of only around 20 minutes.<\/p>\n

The Drones in Action: Test Flights<\/h3>\n

In practical tests conducted by Neiry, these pigeon drones have been outfitted with not only the neural interface but also a small backpack containing a controller, solar panels, and a camera. While they don’t emit the same sounds as mechanical drones, they catch the eye, as demonstrated in videos provided by the startup.<\/p>\n

Room for Expansion: Beyond Pigeons<\/h3>\n

Neiry’s ambitions extend beyond pigeons. Panov hints at the potential use of other bird species, depending on operational needs. This ambition echoes efforts in other fields, such as NeuroFarming, which aims to enhance livestock productivity through similar neural implants.<\/p>\n

Potential Applications of Biological Drones<\/h3>\n

After successful test flights, Neiry claims their pigeon drones are ready for active deployment. Interestingly, while some might visualize military applications, the company asserts they have no plans for such uses. Instead, they envision employing these biological carriers for a range of purposes, including infrastructure inspection, search and rescue, environmental monitoring, and tracking remote areas in regions like Brazil and India.<\/p>\n

Ethical Considerations: A Moral Dilemma<\/h3>\n

The technological potential raises pressing ethical questions. Mechanical drones offer easier control, larger payload capacities, and eliminate concerns about animal welfare. Yet, implanting neural devices to alter an animal\u2019s behavior provokes concern among bioethicists. Nita Farahany, a bioethicist at Duke University, emphasizes that any attempt to control another species through neural manipulation is morally troubling.<\/p>\n

Despite claims of low survival risk post-operation, the ethical implications of using animals as living drones remain significant. Neiry has yet to provide independent verification of their claims, leaving experts questioning the morality of their innovations.<\/p>\n

Conclusion: Innovation vs. Ethics<\/h3>\n

The transformation of pigeons into biological drones by Neiry represents a groundbreaking yet morally fraught innovation. As this technology progresses, the debate surrounding the ethical treatment of animals and the implications of such significant alterations in behavior will undeniably continue.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


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General News – 2<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Pigeons Turned Into Biological Drones: A Controversial Innovation Imagine a pigeon soaring gracefully over city buildings, seemingly harmless, yet capable of carrying out complex tasks. Historically, pigeons have played roles as messengers dating back to ancient civilizations and even in wartime efforts, such as the United States Army’s Pigeon Service during World War I. Today, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":203209,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36399],"tags":[15080,3561,457,12272,13565,48834],"class_list":["post-203208","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology","tag-brains","tag-drones","tag-russian","tag-startup","tag-transformed","tag-winged"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/203208","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=203208"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/203208\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":203210,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/203208\/revisions\/203210"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/203209"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=203208"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=203208"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=203208"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}