Pretty cool. I was approached by a juvenile, female, Merlin falcon while flying fall foliage. I happened to have the video running on my M2. When I realized she was real interested in my bird, I cut the video and fired it straight up and she bugged out. Happened in Minneapolis, MN.
Do you think and Bird would attack a drone? That was my worry that the hawk and my inspire would come crashing to the ground and I have to explain how my drone killed a hawk...
Short answer is, “Yes”. A friend of mine, who started and ran the University of Minnesota Raptor Center said the Merlin Falcon I encountered can be very territorial and aggressive. The red tail is a raptor, and also territorial. I envisioned the same scenario you feared and that is why when I realized that the bird interested in my Mavic was not a crow but a falcon, I fired the drone straight up, which is the best way to turn and run.
I can believe that. In a way it is pretty cool to see raptors like that. On the other hand I have watched as a couple of my drones have fallen from the sky (pilot error). The thought of watching my Inspire 2 fall from the sky while entangled with a hawk is unsettling to say the least. Also agree that straight up is usually the best option. I'm a building inspector also and use a P4 pro for the roof work and have flown it between power lines and under tress and a host of other obstacles to see what needs to be seen, going up here is not always the best option.
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Yes they will attack, and PhilZ's move to go straight up is the best manauvor to get away from the area. looks like he was annoyed you were hunting for little rodents in his filed
. Cool bird
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Very cool. I read all the comments about possible bird attacks on our drones. I've always wondered about that. I've never had any problems with large birds, and we have very big Turkey Buzzards here in Texas, but Starlings are a different matter1 They are very territorial and when you launch a drone anywhere near their nests, they go after it, flying around, dodging it. I was trying to get a shot one day and there were so many Starlings I was worried eventually one of them would get clipped by one of my propellors, get killed and bring down my drone. I wouldn't want either to happen. I landed quickly and they disappeared. Starlings often nest under bridges.
Thanks for your reply Dave. We have scores of starlings here also. They make good targets for my pellet rifles . Really don't think it take much of a strike from a bird to take a drone down. I have watched one of my Phantom 4 pros fall a couple of times and the last one was a total loss of the drone. I do not even want to think about my Inspire 2 falling from the sky. Get hit by a federally protected bird and god only knows the can of worms that would open.
. Really don't think it take much of a strike from a bird to take a drone down. I have watched one of my Phantom 4 pros fall a couple of times and the last one was a total loss of the drone. I do not even want to think about my Inspire 2 falling from the sky. Get hit by a federally protected bird and god only knows the can of worms that would open.
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Plenty of threads already regarding mitigating against bird attacks - please use the search function.
The usual consensus is to climb rapidly if a bird takes an interest in the aircraft.
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Its Hawk mating/nesting building season in NE right now. If you are seeing them often, time to move... To a new flying location that is
Pigeons and sparrows seem to be the most curious birds I have encountered so far. Turkey vultures want nothing to do with a drone, and same with the few eagles I have encountered.
I can confirm that falcons will occasionally take down small drones. Also, best to avoid interacting with raptors as many are considered migratory birds and have federal protection.
