2 Zoom close call with birds

[Bop]

First I heard them, then I saw them! I immediately hit video and started to land. Not one hit me but, wow they were all around! Not sure if they were curious or being somewhat aggressive. So M2Z is grounded for today.

 

[Thomas B]

Know the feeling... 4 progressively closer passes and I flew home.

 

[Bop]

Know the feeling... 4 progressively closer passes and I flew home.

Ya - that bird was "eyeing" you up! Glad it turned out well

 

[Little bird]

First I heard them, then I saw them! I immediately hit video and started to land. Not one hit me but, wow they were all around! Not sure if they were curious or being somewhat aggressive. So M2Z is grounded for today.
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Luckily for you, you get to fly another day.

 

[bumper]

Likely too near nesting area. Gliders (we're talking wing spans of 60 to 75 feet), have been attacked, impacts with talons extended etc. They are pretty much fearless when it comes to defending their nests and young.

 

[Capt KO]

Birds of prey and ravens are aggressive. Buzzards don’t give a hoot and actually seem to enjoy flying with my drones. Gulls only want food. (Do not feed!) ?

 

[robwag]

If you fly into a lot of birds I find it best to just stop and hover where you are, so far they seem to be able to avoid me every time. As you can see from my video.

 

[itallica]

Let me pose this here... I tried on Reddit and was roundly criticized, but I'm quite serious...

I was reading the story about the Eagle that took down the drone in Michigan, and one commentator said that has been flying drones commercially for years, and he painted (pasted?) eyes on his drone similar to the way moths and butterflies use eyespots to ward off enemies.

This from the interwebs - "Butterfly and moth wings can be stunningly beautiful. More importantly, some have colourful and elaborate patterns that serve as a defence against hungry predators."

Is this a common practice? A lesser-known pro tip? Have you done it? Would you do it?

I got bombed pretty good the other night while flying over water ... if there is a reasonable chance this could help I just may be willing to give it a shot! I can think of a couple of cool skin designs, I wonder what would be the most efficient other than sticking a couple of googly eyes on it

 

[Bop]

With my incident the birds were in trees a couple hundred yards away. Next thing I knew they were all over the drone, making multiple close passes. They went back to the trees after i got lower and landed. I think they thought the drone was a mothership. Lol.
My guess is they are migrating and took a rest in the trees? I dont know what kind if birds they were.

 

[G Randy Brown]

Let me pose this here... I tried on Reddit and was roundly criticized, but I'm quite serious...

I was reading the story about the Eagle that took down the drone in Michigan, and one commentator said that has been flying drones commercially for years, and he painted (pasted?) eyes on his drone similar to the way moths and butterflies use eyespots to ward off enemies.

This from the interwebs - "Butterfly and moth wings can be stunningly beautiful. More importantly, some have colourful and elaborate patterns that serve as a defence against hungry predators."

Is this a common practice? A lesser-known pro tip? Have you done it? Would you do it?

I got bombed pretty good the other night while flying over water ... if there is a reasonable chance this could help I just may be willing to give it a shot! I can think of a couple of cool skin designs, I wonder what would be the most efficient other than sticking a couple of googly eyes on it

I think MA2's front sensors looks like eyes ...and 3D at that, so I'm not sure painted/pasted on eyes would be effective.

 

[Trackerputnam]

I had a small hawk hit my drone! I was looking at the iPad at the time and could see the eye of the hawk, then the screen was just a swirling picture of ground and sky! I looked up to see something falling to the ground and watching it getting a good read on where it landed! Then I looked back at the screen and I had a good picture of the Mesa I was filming! She was still alive!I brought my mavic home and hiked over to the area. I found a goshawk, dead on the ground. It looked like the wing of the hawk was cut bad enough to disable it. Hitting the ground did the rest! I was traveling to the far edge of the property I was filming and did not have record on. Yes I have a pic of the dead raptor but think it wise not to post that. The mavic had no damage and only a small amount of blood on it!

 

[hammbone]

Hammbone here, long time reader first time responder. I’ve had run ins with a few birds several times, never a flock! By their size looked like crows, I usually take the Zoom up to max altitude and so far they haven’t followed. Scary pics man!