130.

According to some embodiments, insect lodging chamber 102 may be modular, such that various sizes of chamber 102 can be assembled to dispersion unit 130 in order to form device 100, based on the requirement. For example, for small insects and/or a small number of insects and/or for dispersion over a relatively small area, a smaller chamber 102′ can be used, as demonstrated in FIG. 1D, compared to the size of chamber 102 which may be used for larger insects and/or a larger number of insects and/or for dispersion over a large area, as demonstrated in FIGS. 1A to 1C.

According to some embodiments, device 100 may further include a temperature regulating unit 122 configured to regulate the temperature in chamber 102 (e.g., cool as needed). According to some embodiments, temperature regulating unit 122 may include a Peltier module or any other cooling/heating element(s).

According to some embodiments, device 100's temperature regulating unit 122 includes one or more temperature sensors (not shown) configured to monitor the temperature within device 100 and particularly within chamber 102, such that when a temperature above/below a desired temperature (range) is detected, temperature regulating unit 122 cools/heats chamber 102 respectively.

According to some embodiments, temperature regulating unit 122 may be integrated into the walls of chamber 102.

According to some embodiments, chamber wall 110 may be coated with a thermal coating configured to provide some degree of thermal insulation between chamber 102 and the environment, thereby maintaining a desired temperature within chamber 102.

According to some embodiments, device 100 further comprises a plurality of elements/orifices 112, located on chamber wall 110 and configured to reversibly attach device 100 to an aerial vehicle 150, as further discussed below with respect to FIG. 4.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 2A-C, which schematically depict different views of the device in a “transparent” presentation, according to some embodiments.

Device 100 includes one or more (shown herein as two but may be more) movable shelves 120a and 120b (collectively, 120). Each shelf is attached, at a first end (124) thereof, to an inner surface of the chamber wall, wherein each shelf has an expanded configuration and a folded configuration. According to some embodiments, the attachment of first end 124 of shelves 120a and 120b to the chamber wall may be in the form of a hinge, a pivot joint, a knuckle joint among other suitable options and may be operated by a controllable mechanism. In an expanded configuration (as shown in FIGS. 2A-C) each of shelves 120a and 120b extend across the chamber, such that second ends (125) of shelves 120a and 120b do not contact an opposing inner surface of chamber 102.

According to some embodiments, each of movable shelves 120a and 120b can independently shift from an expanded configuration to folded configuration by any suitable mechanism. For example, according to some embodiments, each movable shelf 120a/b changes from expanded configuration to folded configuration by folding down, e.g., folding towards dispersion unit 130. Folding down of movable shelves 120a and 120b may be controlled by a controller and may be performed at slow rate.

According to some embodiments, each of movable shelves 120a and 120b may be a telescopic comprising a plurality of sections (vertebrate) designed to slide into, or on, one another when the telescopic shelf is shifted from an expanded configuration to a folded configuration. The rate of sliding into, or on, of the plurality of sections (vertebrate) may be controlled by a controller and may be performed at a slow rate.

Movable shelves 120a and 120b are designed for compartmentalizing chamber 102 thereby allowing the insects to be scattered within the compartments of chamber 102 rather than to be compressed in over-populating one region of chamber 102. This structure enables to load device 100 with a large number of insects, while maintaining the insects within chamber 102 under optimal conditions for good viability. Compartmentalization is achieved even though movable shelves 120a and 120b are not fully extended between two parallel inner walls of chamber 102. The space that remains between the second inner wall and an edge (second ends 125) of movable shelf 120a and 120b in expanded configurate allows certain transition of insects between compartments. Such transition is typically minimal and does not create regions where insects are in compressed conditions.

The number of compartments defined by movable shelves 120 is determined by the number of movable shelves 120 within chamber 102, which depends on the number of insects required to be dispersed and/or the size of insects stored within chamber 102. As shown herein, device 100 includes movable shelves 120. According to some embodiments, device 100 may include at least three movable shelves 120. According to other embodiments, device 100 may include at least four movable shelves 120.

According to some embodiment, transformation of shelf 120 from an expanded configuration to a folded configuration is carried out at a slow rate, such as, between about 1-10 mm/sec to about 8 mm/sec or between about 2 mm/sec to about 8 mm/sec.

Advantageously, the transition between expanded to folded configurations is designed such that it performs minimal impact on the insects stored within chamber 102 and is aimed at maintaining their viability. As detailed below, this goal is achieved by enabling the transition only when there is minimal to zero contact between the movable shelves 120 and the insects.

According to some embodiments, “Folding down” of movable shelves 120 as used herein refer to changing the angle between shelf 120 and chamber wall 110 from about 900 to above 0°, while avoiding crushing insects between the folded shelf and the chamber wall. According to some embodiments, in a folded configuration the angle between shelf 120 and chamber wall 110 is at least 5°. According to some embodiments, in folded configuration the angle between shelf 120 and chamber wall 110 is at least 10°. According to some embodiments, in folded configuration the angle between shelf 120 and chamber wall 110 is at least 15°. According to some embodiments, in folded configuration the angle between shelf 120 and chamber wall 110 is about 20°.

As used herein, the term “about” may be used to specify a value of a quantity or parameter (e.g., angle, length, distance, height) within a continuous range of values in the neighborhood of (and including) a given (stated) value. According to some embodiments, “about” may specify the value of a parameter to be between 80% and 120% of the given value. For example, the statement “the angle is equal to about 10°” is equivalent to the statement “the length of the element is between 8° m and 12°”. According to some embodiments, “about” may specify the value of a parameter to be between 90% and 110% of the given value. According to some embodiments, “about” may specify the value of a parameter to be between 95% and 105% of the given value.

The terms “sliding into” and “sliding on” are interchangeable and refer to the shortening (folding-in) of movable shelves 120 having a telescopic structure, during transition from expanded configuration to folded configuration. According to some embodiments, folding-in shortens movable shelf 120 by at least 10% relative to its original length in an expanded configuration. According to some embodiments, folding-in shortens movable shelf 120 by at least 20% relative to its original length in an expanded configuration. According to some embodiments, folding-in shortens movable shelf 120 by at least 30% relative to its original length in an expanded configuration. According to some embodiments, folding-in shortens movable shelf 120 by at least 40% relative to its original length in an expanded configuration. According to some embodiments, folding-in shortens movable shelf 120 by at least 50% relative to its original length in an expanded configuration. According to some embodiments, folding-in shortens movable shelf 120 by at least 60% relative to its original length in an expanded configuration.

According to some embodiments, device 100 may further include at least one density sensor (not shown) configured to calculate the occupancy of chamber 102 by the insects stored therein. According to some embodiments, the at least one density sensor is configured to calculate the presence of insects in contact with each shelf 120. According to some embodiments, the density sensor is associated with the controller and/or with the shelves' controllable mechanism such that, when said at least one density sensor senses a density of insects below a predetermined density threshold, it enables transformation of shelf 120 from an expanded configuration to a folded configuration.

It is to be understood that the density sensor operates as long as device 100 stores and disperses insects. Hence, should the density of insects in the vicinity of a shelf increase above the predetermined density threshold, during transition of said shelf from expanded to close configuration, the transition is halted. Thus, the density sensor may provide a safety mechanism during operation, by enabling change in shelf configuration only under appropriate conditions, namely, only under minimum damage, or no damage, to the insects stored in chamber 102.

Reference is now made to FIG. 2D, schematically depict an isometric view of another/alternative configuration of a device 100′ for releasing insects from an aerial vehicle, in a “transparent” presentation, according to additional or alternative embodiments.

The main difference between device 100 and device 100′ is that device 100′ does not include separating element 132 but rather includes a rotating valve 160. Rotating valve 160 includes a plurality of wings (in this case 4 wings but may also be 3, 5, 6 or more) configured to rotate 360 degrees around a central longitudinal axis thereof and by its rotation to release the insects portion by portion. The rotation rate may be determined by the controller according to the released material type and the environmental conditions. According to a preferred embodiment, the wings are made of a flexible material (such as silicon or rubber, for example, having coefficient of 80 A) to assure minimal or no damage to the dispersed material (insects). Device 100′, according to a preferred embodiment thereof, does not include movable shelves (such as, movable shelves 120) since the insects are gradually released (in successive portions) due to the rotation of the wings of rotating valve 160.

The rest of the elements of device 100′ may be the same as those of device 100. For example, device 100′ includes an insect lodging chamber 102′, which may be similar to chamber 102 of device 100 and configured to hold insects prior to and/or during the scattering process. Chamber 102′ includes chamber wall(s) 110′ (which may be the same as chamber wall(s) 110 of device 100) defining an inner volume of chamber 102′, a chamber inlet 114′ which may be the same as chamber inlet 114 of device 100), at a top section thereof, configured for loading the insects and a chamber outlet 128′ (which may be the same as chamber outlet 128 of device 100), at a bottom section thereof. The insects are released from chamber outlet 128′ via rotating valve 160, which is associated with outlet 128′.

Device 100′ further includes an electric circuitry (not shown) functionally associated with rotating valve 160, for controlling the rotation thereof.

Device 100′ further includes an insect dispersion unit 130′ (which may be the same as dispersion unit 130 of device 100) comprising a converging air duct 134′ (which may be the same as converging air duct 134 of device 100) having an air flow inlet 138′ (which may be the same as air flow inlet 138 of device 100) and an air flow outlet 142′ (which may be the same as air flow outlet 142 of device 100). Chamber outlet 128′ is connected to a converged section 136′ (which may be the same as converged section 136 of device 100) of air duct 134′, such that air flowing from air flow inlet 138′ to air flow outlet 142′ creates a pressure drop (venturi effect), which induces suction of insects from chamber 102′, through rotating valve 160, into air duct 134′ and out of the device through air flow outlet 142′. Insect dispersion unit 130′ further includes a compressor 140′ located in, or in proximity to, air flow inlet 138′ for producing (additional) air flow from air flow inlet 138′ to air flow outlet 142′.

According to some embodiments, chamber outlet 128′ is connected to convergent section 136′ via a chamber-to-duct passage 133′ (which may be the same as chamber-to-duct passage 133 of device 100).

It is to be understood, without bounding to any theory, that the effect inducing the insect exiting the device is the venturi effect. In brief, in fluid dynamics the velocity of a fluid (or gas) must increase as it passes through a constriction while its static pressure must decrease. Hence, any gain of kinetic energy that the fluid (or gas) may attain by its increased velocity through a constriction (e.g., converged section 136′ of air duct 134′) is balanced by a drop in pressure, which forms the venturi effect and results in suction of the insects out of the device and into the environment.

According to some embodiments, chamber inlet 114′ may be covered by a porous (not shown but may be similar to cover 116 of device 100). Such porous cover may enable exchange of oxygen/air between chamber 102′ and the environment.

According to some embodiments, insect lodging chamber 102′ may be integrally formed with or connected to insect dispersion unit 130′.

According to some embodiments, insect lodging chamber 102′ may be modular, such that various sizes of chamber 102′ can be assembled to dispersion unit