Worthwhile reading on Drones and avoidance of bird strikes

Crouching Leopard · May 29, 2023

I found this research paper on the subject of drones and bird strikes. Its long reading but comes out with some worthwhile conclusions and suggestions. As we all know, and this paper confirms, its not a simple subject and there is no "one fix fits all birds" conclusions. It does however point to some cheap and simple methods of reducing risk in many situations. Grab a coffee and some cookies, and take a look.

Since reading, I have made my drone look more aggressive and it seems to work but, you need to read the paper to understand when this is appropriate and when it should not be done (ie during nesting season)

Testing a key assumption of using drones as frightening devices: Do birds perceive drones as risky?

Abstract. Wildlife managers have recently suggested the use of unmanned aircraft systems or drones as nonlethal hazing tools to deter birds from areas of human-

academic.oup.com

Gagey52 · May 29, 2023

Thanks for sharing much appreciated.
Regards

Ralph thompson · May 31, 2023

Interesting study, thanks for posting. It doesn’t cover the more important issue for drone operators of whether a predator will attack a drone. It was not the purpose of the study. I have observed that smaller birds and even geese simply ignore the drone. But larger predators like the Turkey Vulture take a lot of interest. Im surprised when you can be operating in clear blue skies & suddenly see 3 or 4 vultures circling overhead, they have a remarkable ability to detect aerial activity from huge distances. we have Merlin’s in my neighbourhood, a concern because they specialize in plucking prey inflight at high speed (up to 60mph). In all cases I land for a while.

MS Coast · May 31, 2023

Ralph thompson said:
Interesting study, thanks for posting. It doesn’t cover the more important issue for drone operators of whether a predator will attack a drone. It was not the purpose of the study. I have observed that smaller birds and even geese simply ignore the drone. But larger predators like the Turkey Vulture take a lot of interest. Im surprised when you can be operating in clear blue skies & suddenly see 3 or 4 vultures circling overhead, they have a remarkable ability to detect aerial activity from huge distances. we have Merlin’s in my neighbourhood, a concern because they specialize in plucking prey inflight at high speed (up to 60mph). In all cases I land for a while.

Turkey Vultures aren't predators; they eat only dead animals. They aren't aggressive and they don't attack in the air. They will vomit as a defense mechanism if disturbed.

Black Vultures are the ones with excellent eyesight. Turkey Vultures use their sense of smell to find food.

60-70 mph is a typical attack speed for Peregrine Falcons, but they can reach 240 mph in a steep dive. I stay out of their way but the vultures don't cause any concern.

Here's a videos of vultures feeding that I shot with the Air 2S.

Ralph thompson · May 31, 2023

Stand corrected, thanks MS Coast. Black Vultures are not common in our area, we're just on the northern edge of their "rare sitting" category according to Silbey's but it's possible especially with the warmer climate. On the other hand Turkey vultures are very common, we see them all the time in the rural areas. I have observed what looks like turkey vultures circling above the drone many times, they seem to appear from nowhere. I find it fascinating but I always retreat and they quickly move on.
We've had nesting Merlins in a park near my house (urban Montreal), I've watched them hunting and mating and they are small but very fast and agile. I give them plenty if space.
It looks from yr video that the Black Vultures were completely ignoring yr drone.

MS Coast · May 31, 2023

Ralph thompson said:
Stand corrected, thanks MS Coast. Black Vultures are not common in our area, we're just on the northern edge of their "rare sitting" category according to Silbey's but it's possible especially with the warmer climate. On the other hand Turkey vultures are very common, we see them all the time in the rural areas. I have observed what looks like turkey vultures circling above the drone many times, they seem to appear from nowhere. I find it fascinating but I always retreat and they quickly move on.
We've had nesting Merlins in a park near my house (urban Montreal), I've watched them hunting and mating and they are small but very fast and agile. I give them plenty if space.
It looks from yr video that the Black Vultures were completely ignoring yr drone.

They were aware of it, but not bothered. I made several flights over two days and gradually eased closer and closer. They seem to have a pecking order and only one vulture fed at a time. They probably figured that the little grey guy ranked last at the table and wasn't a concern.

You're fortunate to have nesting Merlins nearby. They're wonderful flyers and have a lot of "attitude" for a small bird.

Crouching Leopard · May 31, 2023

Ralph thompson said:
Interesting study, thanks for posting. It doesn’t cover the more important issue for drone operators of whether a predator will attack a drone. It was not the purpose of the study. I have observed that smaller birds and even geese simply ignore the drone. But larger predators like the Turkey Vulture take a lot of interest. Im surprised when you can be operating in clear blue skies & suddenly see 3 or 4 vultures circling overhead, they have a remarkable ability to detect aerial activity from huge distances. we have Merlin’s in my neighbourhood, a concern because they specialize in plucking prey inflight at high speed (up to 60mph). In all cases I land for a while.

I do a lot of commercial flying in the metropolitan area of Melbourne, Australia and birds are a real risk. I can't absolutely say it makes a difference, but in addition to modifying colours and increasing its predator looks, I also use strobes front and rear to add a surprise element. We dont have Turkey vultures in my locality, but Australian Galahs and cockatoos will try and swarm a drone. I have noticed these birds heading straight for the drone but immediately veering away and flying to a tree as soon as a strobe occurs. Every time. I think it is because they don't know what it is and it scares them off.

MiniSEPilot2022 · Jun 3, 2023

I fly near my home in central Illinois. There’s a family of red tailed hawks that live in my neighborhood. They are not unlike human teenagers with the trouble they cause.

I’ve had some incidents with them and my drone, and my solution is to fly higher. Hawks attack from the top down, and they won’t fly higher to attack.

MS Coast · Jun 3, 2023

MiniSEPilot2022 said:
Hawks attack from the top down, and they won’t fly higher to attack.

That's contrary to what I've seen with hawks and falcons attacking ducks, pigeons, and shorebirds.

MiniSEPilot2022 · Jun 3, 2023

Maybe mine figured out it’s not worth the trouble.

MS Coast · Jun 3, 2023

MiniSEPilot2022 said:
Maybe mine figured out it’s not worth the trouble.

Probably depends on the circumstances and how recently the hawk ate.

I watched a hawk dive hit a duck midair on the Chathoochee River and knock it down. The hawk climbed and dove ten times before giving up. Each time the duck would dive under the surface just as the hawk reached about five feet above. The duck finally drifted downstream under low tree branches and the hawk had no room to work.

In the Florida Keys, I saw a Peregrine Falcon make several passes at Roseate Spoonbills flying in to roost in the trees. He climbed and stooped but never made contact. The spoonbills seemed like excessively large prey. Perhaps he was just practicing.