Russian startup turns pigeons into remote-controlled 'bio-drones'
A Moscow startup called Neiry is turning pigeons into remote-controlled "bio-drones" by putting tiny electrodes in their brains.
With this tech, scientists can steer the birds from labs in Moscow and Dubai, sending them on preset routes—even to wild or restricted areas—without any training.
The first field tests started in late 2025.
How it works
Each pigeon gets a solar-powered backpack with GPS, a chest-mounted camera, and a stimulator that sends pulses to the brain implants, while a controller receives and uploads pre-loaded flight tasks.
These signals guide the birds' natural instincts for turning and navigation.
Neiry says the pigeons stay healthy and live normal lifespans.
Can fly up to 483km a day
These bio-drones can fly up to 483km a day, handle any weather, and slip into places regular drones can't go—pretty handy for monitoring power lines or city infrastructure.
The project's received nearly £10 million from Kremlin-linked sources.
While Neiry claims it's all for civilian use, some worry about military risks or disease spread.
Plans to use tech on cows and humans
Neiry isn't stopping at birds—they want to use similar tech with cows (to boost milk production) and even have plans for human pilots down the line.
That's raising big questions about ethics and how far this kind of brain-hacking should go.