UAV Acoustic Apparatus for Insect Swarming Stimulus, part two

UAV Acoustic Apparatus for Insect Swarming Stimulus, part two; Using Locust swarms to attack our enemies using directional sound to guide them.

These plagues and swarms seem to occur randomly, although we do know the migrations are due to over population in an area. These palgues have been documented since the times of the Ancient Egyptian Pharaohs as well recent times: 1926-1934, 1940-1948, 1949-1963, 1967-1969 and 1986-1989. Our research will also help controlling run away locust problems and calm down such plagues, which threaten to severely hurt the World's food supply at a time when humans are pushing new unknown problems of massive population increases, ways to catch (using sound containment techniques) the high in protein locusts may also re-supply food in times of such crop and agricultural losses. Locusts during times of plagues can devastate more than 20% of the surface of the planet, so the threat and unknown the enemy will face will be truly extra ordinary. Such events could effect 12-15% of the World' population's jobs and 25% of the populations food supply as well as change balances of trade. This is one reason the locusts are so feared by populations.

Since these insects already exist in regions where we have potential adversaries to our political will, we can use the native insects to our advantage in case of war.

The desert locust is a good species for this project since generally they live for about 3-6 months, which varies based on Weather and Ecological conditions of the region. This means we can keep them happy and contained until needed. The Acridoidea, has a 3-stage life cycle; Egg, Hopper, Adult. The eggs hatch in two weeks generally although it has also been documented that the period could increase to as high as 65 days. Hoppers develop in many stages over a month and a half. The adults mature in about three to nine months. Generally a time period of 2-4 months is considered average. This is clearly a remarkable species with some very positive attributes for controlling in times of non-war. To build these insects and genetically modify them to fit this need, should be a simple issue of finding the exact set of specimens in the species and breed them. The female Acridoidea will lay eggs in pods and in sand about a half inch to one inch deep. A solitary female will lay 95-160 eggs, gregarious female will lay less than 80 eggs in a pod. Generally these females will lay eggs three times during their lifecycle, not more less than 6 to 12 days apart. Reproduction conditions for breeding are simple enough and can easily be controlled. Moist sand or clay in an open area and green vegetation for hopper development, all of this is easily controllable. This means we can easily breed massive numbers quickly. Up to 1000 egg pods have been found in a square yard in the wild. With pancaked stacked five-inch thick racks we could grow millions inside a cargo container and feed them grass clippings to keep them happy until we need them. We can pour in agricultural bio waste and collect the methane gas for power. The adult desert locust eats about 2 grams per day. A small swarm such as the special teams to disrupt the enemy that we are considering is about one ton of locusts and would eat about the same amount in weight as 2500 people, so they are not completely free soldiers, but once you drop them on your enemy, even if you lose control of them, it is no longer your problem. These cargo containers can be parachuted in 260 miles from the target and guided in by UAVs with sonic guidance equipment to steer these locusts to the designated point. Desert Locusts will fly at speeds of 10 mph to 13 mph, the swarms can travel up to 80 miles per day, Locusts have been known to cross the red sea in swarms (about 180 miles). There is a documented case where swarm migrations in 1954 went from North-West Africa to the British Isles. In one documented case the insects went from West Africa to the Caribbean in about ten days in 1988, 5000 km. Solitary Desert Locusts fly at night and the gregarious adults in swarms fly during the daylight times. With such distances this insect seems to be natures perfect secret weapon.

Once we prove concept on a smaller scale we maybe able to figure out how to tap into the species full potential as these swarms can vary from 2 square miles to 600 square miles. There can be 25 million to 50 million adult locusts per square mile, eating anything in the path, by focusing such swarms you could overwhelm you enemy within a day.

Another advantage to the Desert Locust as a secret weapon is they can transverse large remote areas without detection, without setting off land mines, cannot be shot down and even if the UAVs are taken out, the locusts naturally will serve your political will as they are quite disruptive creatures). In wartime we often have to deal with less than ideal situations such as the remoteness and difficult access to a region, for instance the mountainous regions where Osama Bin Laden is. As we have learned in the last conflicts of the past many decades we had to attack and deliver our forces through undeveloped areas with few if any roads, communication, water, food. By adding this to our arsenal of battle plans, we have another way to disrupt our enemy without being any where close to them and something that no one would possibly ever expect.

To get locusts to swarm is really easy, they change behavior when they are in tight density as the population in an area swells they take to travel, becoming highly mobile. They typically act as an individual insect, but have swarming capabilities and behavior patterns as well, so by increasing the populations they will have swarming innate characteristics. The locusts even begin to change colors going from brown to pink or yellow. The are the younger and the yellow are the adults. At one time these different colors were thought to be different species and if you look at some of the older encyclopedias you will still see that mistake. We will also after proving concept use these sound devices to help us control mammals such as rats along an intended path.

Another interesting experiment we wish to try is to use a nano-covered mini-blimp, which will move relatively slow and can and will be able to stay with slow moving surface mammals.

We have been studying the different frequencies that farmers use to control pests. There are many organic thinking farmers who are trying to reduce pesticides and use sound instead. One interesting program is in Washington State in Yakima where apple growers have been highly successful in keeping insects from the trees.

Secondary considerations on disrupting an enemy's facility using insects and UAV combinations in include creating electro-magnetic interference using phase shift currents on alternating current systems. It may is possible to send in an interference to a facility which attracts bugs and insects to the facility. Such a device could easily be delivered with a single mission small UAV. The Germans have several studies on the concept of acoustics in insect control. Several of the white papers we have read include use of advanced ceramic ultrasonic acoustic transducers and related technologies which can be incorporated into a dual use single mission UAV which would land on or around the roof of a facility or it's partially exposed wiring system, air conditioning vents or air inlets. Imagine an enemy trying to use a communication station, anti-aircraft facility or command and control center being inundated with thousands of insects. Once the batteries run out in the UAVs system, the insects will slowly depart for greener and more innately desirable targets.

UAVs using ceramic piezo sirens and the relative wind from forward momentum we can reduce the power needs, which will end up using the batteries needed to propel the electric UAVs. We believe that with simple off the shelf whistles and devices drawing little or no battery energy, we can lay down tracks of sound directed to specific points to create sound barriers to control and direct insects in flight.

In conclusion we can show how using flying insects to disrupt the enemy will prove more than effective as it will be completely unexpected and cause absolute chaos and havoc at a time and place of our choosing.

"Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs