Oval Solar Module for Wildlife Road Deterrent

A custom-shaped module to power an IoT wildlife deterrent beacon in remote, off-grid environments — designed around the device geometry, not the other way around.

Manufacturing a Custom Oval Photovoltaic Module

Visever's innovation department, in collaboration with the University of Castilla-La Mancha and the Research Institute for Hunting Resources, developed a wildlife road deterrent that significantly reduces accidents caused by collisions with wild animals — while protecting two victims too often forgotten: people and the animals themselves.

Every year, thousands of drivers and passengers suffer devastating physical and psychological trauma from sudden, unpredictable collisions. But alongside them, invisible at the roadside, the animals of surrounding woodlands pay the highest price: injured, left on the asphalt, condemned to prolonged suffering with no possibility of rescue.

This device was created to break that cycle of pain — restoring safety to those behind the wheel and dignity to the wildlife that shares our territory.

The wildlife deterrent operates completely autonomously for months without maintenance, installed every 20 metres on both sides of the roadway. It integrates two deterrent elements — ultrasonic pulses and intermittent LED flashes — triggered by a 160° PIR sensor with an effective range of 13–17 m. At this spacing, coverage fully closes the front from which animals can access the road. The solar module had to fit the exact oval shape of the upper housing to millimetre tolerance.

The Data — In Spain, between 2014 and 2017, 79,099 wildlife-related road accidents were recorded, mostly caused by ungulates. The average material damage cost exceeds €2,000 per incident, with an estimated total of around €105 million per year.
The Context — Wildlife accidents follow marked spatial and temporal patterns — more frequent in specific areas and at particular times of day and year, driven by wildlife presence, animal activity rhythms and the hunting season.
The Results — Animals reacted to the mere presence of the devices with a flight response rate of 40–60%. In some areas, 100% effectiveness was recorded. Habituation levels remain low due to the sporadic contact animals have with the device.

An Oval Module Designed Around the Device

Visever entrusted MR WATT with a precise design challenge: manufacture a photovoltaic module with an oval geometry, dimensioned to the exact measurements of the deterrent beacon's upper housing. The panel had to be lightweight, weatherproof, and capable of providing autonomous power to the IoT device in off-grid rural areas for months without maintenance. No standard module on the market met these requirements — shape, dimensions and power profile all fell outside conventional product ranges.

MR WATT then developed, in close collaboration with Visever's engineers, a custom photovoltaic module designed entirely around the specifications of the Baliza disuasoria de fauna. Laser cutting of monocrystalline cells allowed the required oval geometry to be achieved with a tolerance of ±0.5 mm, maximising the available active area while ensuring the full structural integrity of the panel.

The construction uses a semi-compact lamination with a PET rear substrate, providing enough flexibility to conform to the beacon's curvature while maintaining the mechanical robustness required for long-term outdoor installation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you make photovoltaic modules in non-rectangular shapes?: Yes. We use laser cutting to produce cells of any geometry — oval, round, L-shaped, trapezoidal, or any shape defined by DXF files. Dimensional tolerance is ±0.5mm.
What is the minimum power output you can produce for an IoT device?: We produce modules from fractions of a watt for IoT applications. Output depends on available surface area and cell technology. For beacons with internal batteries, a 1–5W module is typically sufficient to guarantee autonomy.
How do you handle the curvature of the beacon housing?: Semi-compact modules with PET substrates offer sufficient flexibility to conform to mild curvatures (radius >300mm). For tighter curves we use full-flex construction on PET or ETFE substrate without rigid backing.
What is your minimum order quantity?: We work from single prototypes for the development phase. There is no binding minimum for development batches. Series pricing applies from approximately 50 units.
Is the module suitable for outdoor installation in all seasons?: Yes. ETFE lamination resists UV, rain, hail and thermal swings from -20°C to +70°C. The sealed perimeter edge provides IP67 protection against water and dust ingress.