Birds ever an issue for you?

[jcross]

Near overpasses and bridges the barn Swallows here get pretty agressive. Swarming no no hits or hard hits. Just yesterday, flying my Mavic toward a clock tower it suddenly began to reverse with forward stick. I finally realized the flock flying through (maybe pidgeons) caused the forward sensors to kick it into reverse. It caught me off gard and took a second for me to understand what happened.

 

[Ty_tastic]

This happened to me once in the US. But recently I went on a few vacations: Jamaica and Italy. In both of these places flying in certain areas, birds just seemed to flock to it and surround it in groups. Once I flew away the groups would disband. But the second I tried to get the shot I was after they reformed! Strength in numbers haha. I just quit and tried again another day so nothing crazy would happen.

 

[Ceejay]

Woah it got so close to you! How well did the mavic hold up when it got hit?

I got hit twice by theTern the first time from behind,it just jerked the video a second, the second time was split second after the picture, then I got out of the area, guess I was near a nest
Mavic suffered no damage that I can see.
I estimate the Gull was18" away when he came up to the Mavic.

 

[Sencorp]

I was flying one day to get some 3D mapping done for a friends place and nearly got taken down by a hawk! Ironic because my bird is named hawk. Go figure. I was of course able to outfly the hawk.

 

[Lake_Flyer]

Just very curious sea gulls, at the seaside. I immediately flew upwards and they minded their own business.

exactly the right thing to do.

 

[Lake_Flyer]

I was flying one day to get some 3D mapping done for a friends place and nearly got taken down by a hawk! Ironic because my bird is named hawk. Go figure. I was of course able to outfly the hawk.

Lucky, you can never outfly a hawk with a mavic. It just gave up. Best action is to ascent with full throttle. The birds know that it would take them a lot of energy to ascent with the same speed and generally give up. Most birds of prey use as little energy as possible to rise to their operating height, and use all the kinetic energy when they dive to hurl down like a rocket, going faster than any other bird. They hit them with an awful lot of energy so that the prey is instantly and permanently disabled. It's a one way thing, no escape. A falcon can rise very fast (but only when it needs to however). My closest friend is a full time professional falconer and I have been taught many things about birds of prey and bird behaviour in general.


A peregrine falcon has a max airspeed of almost 400 km/h, average diving speed is 320 km/h. Max horizontal speed 110 km/h. Always try to be higher than the falcon, it will loose interest.

edit: most hawk species reach similar horizontal speeds and dive with 250-300 km/h

 

[Ceejay]

Lucky, you can never outfly a hawk with a mavic. It just gave up. Best action is to ascent with full throttle. The birds know that it would take them a lot of energy to ascent with the same speed and generally give up. Most birds of prey use as little energy as possible to rise to their operating height, and use all the kinetic energy when they dive to hurl down like a rocket, going faster than any other bird. They hit them with an awful lot of energy so that the prey is instantly and permanently disabled. It's a one way thing, no escape. A falcon can rise very fast (but only when it needs to however). My closest friend is a full time professional falconer and I have been taught many things about birds of prey and bird behaviour in general.


A peregrine falcon has a max airspeed of almost 400 km/h, average diving speed is 320 km/h. Max horizontal speed 110 km/h. Always try to be higher than the falcon, it will loose interest.

edit: most hawk species reach similar horizontal speeds and dive with 250-300 km/h

Very useful, sound advice, Have put that one to memory for the next time, Thanks !!

 

[newnan3]

Flying over water at the beach in Portugal I had seagulls dive at my drone on several occasions. While bringing 'er down to hand-catch had a gull swoop within a foot or two of me.

No direct contact on any of those occasions as far as I could tell but definitely didn't want to push my luck.

 

[FakeRaven]

Lucky, you can never outfly a hawk with a mavic. It just gave up. Best action is to ascent with full throttle. The birds know that it would take them a lot of energy to ascent with the same speed and generally give up. Most birds of prey use as little energy as possible to rise to their operating height, and use all the kinetic energy when they dive to hurl down like a rocket, going faster than any other bird. They hit them with an awful lot of energy so that the prey is instantly and permanently disabled. It's a one way thing, no escape. A falcon can rise very fast (but only when it needs to however). My closest friend is a full time professional falconer and I have been taught many things about birds of prey and bird behaviour in general.


A peregrine falcon has a max airspeed of almost 400 km/h, average diving speed is 320 km/h. Max horizontal speed 110 km/h. Always try to be higher than the falcon, it will loose interest.

edit: most hawk species reach similar horizontal speeds and dive with 250-300 km/h

A quick vertical ascension seems to be the concensus on bird attacks. I've only tried it once since starting the thread but it worked on the same barn swallows, so I'd say it's the best course of action.

 

[reckless]

Magpies are very territorial and have swooped me on several occasions but they never actually contact with the drone, seems to be more threat than bite.