This is an excerpt from ... B. Andoni, C. Hodges, T. Lee and Chadrick Mason, " Multifunctional Autonomous Duck Decoy," ECE 4522: Design II, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mississippi State University, December 2003:

The latest improvement to come into the world of duck hunting has been the introduction of electronic and/or motorized decoys. The introduction occurred around 1997, and the market has been improving very rapidly in that short period of time. Roto Duck was the first company to produce motorized decoys. They produced about three thousand units, which sold out in the first month [1]. A study found that the decoys were six times more effective at attracting ducks than not using them. However, the effectiveness of the decoy decreased as the season progressed, but it was still twice as effective as not using any decoys [2]. Today there are different types of motorized decoys, ranging from the spinning wings models, to the paddling feet models, to the feeding models that bob up and down in the water to simulate feeding. After a short time of heavy hunting pressure with these particular setups, ducks may become wary fairly easily and quickly.

There are many problems with current mechanical decoys on the market. Many decoys such as the spinning winged decoys only sit in one spot. The feeding models that bob up and down in the water and shaker only models also posses this trait. Other decoys, such as the paddling feet models only swim around. These mechanical decoys do not contain the multiple features of live ducks. Live ducks neither just sit in one spot nor do they just swim around. Ducks are constantly moving while on water, whether they are feeding, shaking, or roaming around to find other ducks in the vicinity. So, it only makes sense for the next technological advancement in motorized decoys to produce a lifelike reproduction of a living duck.

The Multifunctional Autonomous Duck Decoy offers not only the swimming of a live duck, but also an optional shaker mode to make this decoy the most lifelike decoy on the market. This decoy can grant every duck hunter his wish to make decoys more lifelike and to improve the success of their hunts. Improvements over other motorized decoys on the market mainly include (1) the ability to replicate a swimming duck.s movement in a prescribed area without input from the hunter, and (2) the shaking ability to bring the hunter.s entire decoy spread to life. All of this will allow for a more enjoyable and effective hunt for father and son or for boss and client without worrying about operating a decoy while trying to call in or take ducks.