Bee devilled

[Drone alone.]

Gooday all,
Yesterday I was able to get out and fly my Mavic air 2 in a local park for the first time in a couple of weeks[due severe winter storms with wind gusts up to 100klm's per hour]
I had launched the drone with everything in and locked, weather was sunny with very little wind.
I had been flying within the surrounds of the park at about a height of 30 metres for about 10 minutes when I noticed a darkish cloud forming around the drone. I then realised my drone was being attacked by a large swarm of aggressive bees. I immediately ascended to about 50-60 metres but the swarm still persisted converging on the drone, so I descended down to about 10 metres to a point where the bees started to lose interest. I decided it better to call it a day right then and there and successfully landed my drone on the pad. After engine shutdown, I picked up my air 2 and could not believe the state that it was in. Every part of the drone front and rear was covered in bee detritus,heads wings tails and a sticky residue.What most concerns me is that a lot of the sensors have this stuff stuck in the surrounding crevices.
My question is, how do I clean up the drone and dispense with all this sticky litter etc without getting fluid/water ingress into the electrical compartments and fluid sensitive areas.
I have had to discard the props,as all the leading edges will have been damaged by the bee parts slamming into them.
Any help or advice will be appreciated. As you can imagine I am pretty distraught at the condition of my drone and I honestly don't know where to start the cleanup.
Thanks Phil.

 

[MA2 317]

Sounds like you were in Class Bee Airspace.

I've read that baby wipes are good for cleaning the bug juice from the aircraft.

Leaves it smelling nice too.

.

 

[thispilothere]

I've used Q-Tips and Sprayway World's Best Glass Cleaner. Maybe's it's not the best for it but it worked fine.

EDIT: Did you get footage of this bee swarm? Wonder what would happen if you went higher.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

..
The baby wipes sound like a good idea for the main areas.
When wiping over, a little should go into the little nooks and gaps around sensors etc, have some fine tip cotton buds ready to wipe that out, and hopefully bee residue as well with it.

We have these in Oz, a cosmetic type cotton bud, should be something like it available in the US.

 

[Deleted member 103366]

Can you post some photos of the drone, especially where whole tails are visible. I am interested to see whether it was males or females, in honey bees they have different body shapes.
Personally on the major plastic pieces I'd probably use a damp cloth but keep away from openings etc.

 

[Gagey52]

Sounds like a honey of a trip
Regards

 

[Made2Phly]

Bee killer. No wonder honey bees are on the decline. All this attention to drone condition and none to the souls of our deceased pollinators.

 

[Droniac]

I've used Q-Tips and Sprayway World's Best Glass Cleaner. Maybe's it's not the best for it but it worked fine.

EDIT: Did you get footage of this bee swarm? Wonder what would happen if you went higher.

Q tips are my definite go to. It’s in my monthly budget. Weather dependant. No bee strikes yet. Bird aversion successful. Water although read of drip dry and all is good, I qtip crevices, sensors, strobes. Keeping in mind I also straighten out frames crooked on walls. Flysafe & Godspeed, Droniac

 

[RadioFlyerMan]

Here’s an academic thought… if a bird takes interest in my drone, I fly straight up. Then fly away from the point of interaction and sneak home.
I wonder if that would work for bees? Would they follow to 400 ft?

 

[Intruder Weasel]

Sounds like you were in Class Bee Airspace.

I've read that baby wipes are good for cleaning the bug juice from the aircraft.

Leaves it smelling nice too.

.

GROAN!! <GG> Well done.....

 

[CvCow]

Gooday all,
Yesterday I was able to get out and fly my Mavic air 2 in a local park for the first time in a couple of weeks[due severe winter storms with wind gusts up to 100klm's per hour]
I had launched the drone with everything in and locked, weather was sunny with very little wind.
I had been flying within the surrounds of the park at about a height of 30 metres for about 10 minutes when I noticed a darkish cloud forming around the drone. I then realised my drone was being attacked by a large swarm of aggressive bees. I immediately ascended to about 50-60 metres but the swarm still persisted converging on the drone, so I descended down to about 10 metres to a point where the bees started to lose interest. I decided it better to call it a day right then and there and successfully landed my drone on the pad. After engine shutdown, I picked up my air 2 and could not believe the state that it was in. Every part of the drone front and rear was covered in bee detritus,heads wings tails and a sticky residue.What most concerns me is that a lot of the sensors have this stuff stuck in the surrounding crevices.
My question is, how do I clean up the drone and dispense with all this sticky litter etc without getting fluid/water ingress into the electrical compartments and fluid sensitive areas.
I have had to discard the props,as all the leading edges will have been damaged by the bee parts slamming into them.
Any help or advice will be appreciated. As you can imagine I am pretty distraught at the condition of my drone and I honestly don't know where to start the cleanup.
Thanks Phil.

No footage?

 

[Kywon McCain]

Must have been a buzzin of a flight you had there.


Most likely, your drone flew near a beehive that angered the bees. The bees won't do anything to harm your drone, but you will have some bee guts and honey all over your props you would have to clean off I suppose.

 

[Deleted member 103366]

Most likely, your drone flew near a beehive that angered the bees. The bees won't do anything to harm your drone, but you will have some bee guts and honey all over your props you would have to clean off I suppose.

You indirectly have raised a good point. It is possible that the sugar present in the nectar can, given time, oxidise to acid, a good reason for cleaning I think.


As an aside, bees do not normally transport honey, they transport nectar. Honey is, from memory, partially digested nectar and once reguritated into the combs the liquid is concentrated by forced draft evapouration to form honey.
This is one reason it keeps so well, either there is too little water in it or too much sugar in it, or both, for anything to 'attack' it.
If I remember correctly the only time bees might tranport honey is when they truey swarm i.e. when they intend to increase the number of colonies. It's 30+ years since I kept bees so if I am in error you have my apologies

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Honey is, from memory, partially digested nectar and once regurgitated into the combs

I'm NEVER going to be able to look at a spoonful of honey the same again, lol.

 

[Kywon McCain]

I'm NEVER going to be able to look at a spoonful of honey the same again, lol.

Your probably eating honey right now...

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Your probably eating honey right now...

Oh yeah . . .

 

[Kywon McCain]

Oh yeah . . .

Go on. Grab the spoon... And try it frozen. It's good.

 

[Jagerbomb52]

Bees attacking drones is actually pretty common. Some say it has to do with the pitch noise from the props. The Anafi is no stranger to bee guts. Humming birds also attack them.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Go on. Grab the spoon...

More like get up and go do some work, ha ha. Later.

 

[Drone alone.]

Bee killer. No wonder honey bees are on the decline. All this attention to drone condition and none to the souls of our deceased pollinators.

Mate my thoughts were also for the bees,but there was no sign of them when I launched the drone. I always have a good look around the area before flying,looking for aggressive people dogs birds etc. If there is any doubt I pack up and leave.