Birds: dangerous?

[szh]

How high is the risk of bird collisions?

I was flying over a wetland area when suddenly this appeared:

It happened a second time a few seconds later. Given the wide field of view of the camera, they must have been pretty close. I freaked out and went straight up immediately.

How dangerous do you think such situations really are?

 

[geigy]

That is one nice photograph! The birds are egrets. These are not aggressive birds at all unless they are defending their nest, and even then it's just a peck or two. If they were circling, they were probably just curious about this slow, noisy gray bird in their airspace.

Good to be cautious though an osprey or eagle would be more than willing to take you on just for the joy of it, in which case going up and returning to home is probably the best strategy.

 

[Pathogen]

I expect that the Mavic is considered 'significant' to birds, and I doubt anything but the largest predatory birds would ever actually attack. Flying in such a manner that actually tricks out any given birds natural instinctive ability to preserve itself could lead to problems though. In that context, one preventative measure I like to use, is to stop recording video, which turns the red leds back on. The birds I have in my area clearly recognize them as eyes and react just as one might expect them to being faced down by a predator.

 

[geigy]

Good point about the video. It's also been reported that birds and insects will respond to the VLOS system - it uses ultrasonic wavelengths that some birds can hear very well. If there's a problem, switching it off might cause birds to lose interest.

 

[Fried Toast]

I flew through a wetlands area with hundreds if not thousands of birds. I think it's like driving in Thailand. If you haven't driven in Thailand (or similar crazy place), think of it like crossing a busy intersection (maybe anywhere besides the US?). Be purposeful and measured. In other words, don't make any sudden moves (like sudden upward acceleration). The birds can see very well, so they probably fly what they feel is a safe distance away. If you fly steadily, I assume they will take that into account and adjust their flight paths accordingly. Without asking them personally, I can't speak directly for the birds. Just my impressions having flown in birdy areas.

That being said, I've also had swallows fly uncomfortably close. And they followed and continued such behavior even if I tried to get away from them, so I assume that was some sort of territorial display.

Got chased by a pair of crows once when I inadvertently took a P3P above their nest. Thankfully I was able to outrun them and no contact took place.

My take would be that waterfowl are fairly easy to deal with - just be deliberate in your actions.
Beyond typical waterfowl, it's hard to know how birds will react. Any birds near a nest may act aggressively, so keep that in mind.

 

[szh]

Yep, little egrets, and they were circling the drone. As I got closer to the perimeter of the circle, they got bigger in the picture. They circled three times before I fled (in the first pass they were quite far).

There are lots of them in this location, but I did not get close on purpose.

They never seemed aggressive, so I was not worried about an attack. I was more worried about an accidental collision. Perhaps they are not used to hovering or slowly moving things. Perhaps they expect things that are smaller than them to get out of the way. I have seen a pigeon collision video on YouTube ...

 

[Metal_Hound]

Out bush in Aus we don't worry about NFZs enforced by DJI, we worry about wedgies enforcing NFZs. I'm on constant lookout for the big buggers when flying, for me if I see any of the kites/eagles/hawks start to take an interest I go to low altitude and head for home...

Wedge-tailed eagles winning war of the skies against drones

Wedge-tailed eagle takes down drone over WA wheat farm

 

[geigy]

I hear the crocodiles in Australia are big enough to snap up the lower altitude drones.

 

[Metal_Hound]

I'm inland a bit, not so much water, and it's really the salties (saltwater crocs) that you've gotta worry about. That said, you do have to be careful around any water bodies, hell, round here you really only hover over the toilet, it's not a relaxing business...

 

[frostbyte]

I have been attacked by bald eagle at waterloo park in Lebanon Oregon and also by a whole flock of hundreds of pelican on the coast of Twin Rock's Oregon after flying too close to nesting ground, accidently. I have learned that if I think I see birds sharing air space, 1. switch to sport mode, 2. fly backwards as fast as can directly home, 3. maintain view of incoming birds from behind, 4. maintain safe perimeter of at least 250 feet from known nests.

 

[Fried Toast]

A couple weekends ago, I roused up a bunch of seagulls unintentionally. Until now, I've never had an issue with them, but I must've been near a nesting area. It was like Battlestar Galactica and Cylons swarming out of a Basestar to protect against Vipers. My first instinct was, like above, to go up quickly, but then reminded myself of what I'd said in here and went back horizontally the way I'd came - at an even speed. It was nerve-wracking as the gulls were swooping fairly closely. They were not happy. I got out as fast as I could and luckily, no birds nor Mavic (nor Mavic pilot) were harmed.

 

[Michael Ainsworth]

I hear the crocodiles in Australia are big enough to snap up the lower altitude drones.

Surprising how high then can lift out of the water.
False sense security in a Tinny (small dinghy)

 

[Jackrabbitslim]

Have experienced a few encounters with birds, most recently due to birds defending nesting areas here in Scotland. I am always prepared to switch to sport mode to evade any threats.

 

[dewster]

Small birds are more aggressive in my experience. I'll be out in the open and a small bird will chase my craft.

I've had predatory birds do a few orbits out of curiosity. Sometimes they come out of nowhere.