Intense Story with a Hawk

[SoapyGolem]

I have a couple of stories, some of the birds around here are very territorial and actually the behavior is quite interesting.

Some times I have seen that a single bird is flying around they get close to check the drone out just for curiosity. If they get bothered by it, they will bring their friends along and will start flying in closer formation towards the craft, and everytime getting closer. If you keep hovering on the same place they wont like it and they will get again closer and closer. So my advice is, if its smaller non raptor birds just keep calm and give them enough space to fly, its their space anyway so just keep your flying route and land when possible.

Now, raptors are another thing. They will typically fly higher than your drone , hover for a bit and dive not so aggressively, but definitely in the craft direction. they dont like competition and they dont see you as food but as an intruder to their hunting area. So if you see one getting close, turn sport mode, and climb. Now once I did something really stupid TBH, but I think it scared the bird even more. I started climbing towards him, full speed, 2 seconds later he turned around and dived. Poor guy probably tough he was going to be a meal. I felt bad and have never done it again.

That sound intense, I never really see birds just 1 hawk so far

 

[SoapyGolem]

when is raptor mating season over

 

[Cheech Wizard]

It's is a beautiful day here in Las Vegas Nevada, The sun is Shining there is light breeze of wind a perfect day for flying, and i was ready to have a blast until the biggest scare of drone life happened..... I drove out in the desert where the mountains looked awesome. Telling myself, "I'm going to get some awesome footage for my next video montage." I popped in my first battery flew out over 1500 feet took some great video, pictures, I was just a happy nothing can ruin my day. about 25 minutes or so my battery starting beeping and took my Mavic "Hank" back in to land and swap my battery. I landed check video looks awesome and decided i need to get some more footage of the landscape. Flew about 200 feet high and about 300 feet away not to far at all. Until i saw this HUGE hawk! its wingspan looked like 5x bigger than my little mavic. Its coming straight for it about 50 feet away close and CLOSER! I instantly start screaming to myself "BAIL!, BAIL!,BAIL!" I pushed Full throttle all the way down and turned so fast, yelling come back to me! and the Hawk turns to come back for my mavic again. Speeding back to me as fast as i can Thinking "sport mode?" didnt have time..... My palms are sweaty, my adrenaline is pumping I'm so scared. Finally made it back to me, having my hands up trying to scare the hawk away, and landed, and just said thank god! that would of been terrible. The Hawk then flew back in the sky and just soars around me, as if it saying "this is my area" for about 20 minutes. I then left and called it for the day and said you win.


I just want to say thank you from all those post about bird attacks because if it wasn't for them. I would have just hovered and say wow look at that hawk! let me get some video and boom! Mavic dead. Ever since reading about bird attacks i always kept a eye out.... looked around to make sure there was no birds. I rarely even see birds here in Las Vegas anyway most i ever see is a pigeons. So i wasn't to worried about it. until today I saw the Hawk i instantly knew it was coming for the drone, no hesitation i bailed, because of reading this forum saved me my drone and money.

So to tell everyone be careful about birds, HAWKS more importantly. even if you think there will be none trust me they are watching.

My questions:

What can we do to prevent our drones getting attack by birds?

Do you have any story's about a bird attacks?

What kind of species of bird are aggresive in the air? Hawk, Ducks, Geese? what birds should you watch out for most?

Thank you again drone pilots.

Don't forget, drones don't fly like birds... stop suddenly, go back a few feet, go up, go left, go right, hopefully all in sport mode, just fly like crazy! It gets your blood going. Tons of raptors since DDT was banned.

Hawks, Ospreys, Eagles and Turkey Vultures will all mess you up if they are nesting. Then the Juveniles start to learn to hunt (Think Teenager), and they will go for anything.

Geese and Swans, don't get to close to them on the ground or get caught up in a flock. No Seagull flocks either.