Not to be

[Bob1956]

I tried to take my MP2 out for a flight today. I got the aircraft on the pad, lots of satellites and the Home Point dialed in. My plan was for some precision landings.
Nice and slow up to 30 feet when I heard the familair "SCREEE SCREEE SCREE" of a red tailed hawk. I put the Mavic right back down and not one but two red tailed hawks came from over the tree line on my left. The lead hawk had a snake in it's talons and it was the trailing hawk that was screeching non-stop. My guess is the trailing hawk is one of this years chicks and was telling it's parent "FEED ME FEED ME".
They kept going in a staright line and disappeared over the trees to my right. I waited for the screeching to fade away and launched the Mavic again. This time I got about 100 feet up and now I heard hear "SCREEE SCREEE SCREEE" coming my way from the right. Just as the Mavic landed the two hawks were right above us. This time the lead hawk circled the drone a few times. I guess it saw it in the air. Still carrying the snake and the trailing hawk still screeching it's head off. I don't know if it thought the Mavic was a threat or a possible side dish to fresh snake.
And they dissappered over the trees on my left. This time I shut down the drone and waited in silence for about ten minutes. Launched again got about 200 feet up and started to move away when the "SCREEE SCREEE SCREE" came back. This time I went up a hundred feet and the hawks backed off. Then came straight down and landed.
Still two hawks in a line, one with a snake and the other still screeching. This time the lead hawk came down low about 20 feet over the Mavic and circled it a few times and they finally flew away.

I packed everything up and left.

 

[Moose1967]

LOL - good try though - guess you need to find another place to fly !!!

 

[ZX14-R]

Good decision....

 

[Bob1956]

LOL - good try though - guess you need to find another place to fly !!!

Thank-you.
Guess I was close to a nest.

 

[Skywatcher2001]

Thought you ruled the skies . . . not! #apex predators. GREAT STORY. Thank you for sharing.

 

[Bob1956]

Thought you ruled the skies . . . not! #apex predators. GREAT STORY. Thank you for sharing.

Thank-you. At the time there were a few WTF !!! and unF*$!^&@king beliaveable I left out of the post.

 

[Skywatcher2001]

Oh I'm sure . . . most of us that fly in wilderness areas have had those moments!

 

[GadgetGuy]

No pictures or video to share?

 

[Bob1956]

In my other hobby I take bird pictures but all I had with me that day was the mavic and RC. More concerned about keeping my mavic alive than footage.

 

[GadgetGuy]

In my other hobby I take bird pictures but all I had with me that day was the mavic and RC. More concerned about keeping my mavic alive than footage.

In my experience, which may be unique, they are not mutually exclusive. I, too, am an avid bird photographer, and the drone adds a unique perspective on bird nests and flying birds that can never be achieved from the ground!

 

[Brewbud]

I recently had to abort because of a Hawk. I was just doing a quick flight to check out the new SC anyway so no big deal for me. You definitely made the correct decision. Thanks for the story.

 

[otisbrazwell]

tall snake story?