I was out flying today and noticed a couple of birds not liking my phantom. They went after it. They didn't danger close (<10'), but one good strike with one of them and I'm going down! Has anyone had a bird strike?
I live in the great mid-west of the US and I know the red winged black birds get very aggressive in June.
I have had barn swallows dive bomb and swarm around the Phantom while flying, but they are better at flying than I am and I doubt they would actually strike the Phantom on purpose. That said, it scared me enough to bring the Phantom back in. I was flying over water at the time and didn't want to chance an accidental strike.
Geese and swans I could see intentionally hitting the Phantom, they're aggressive especially if their young are nearby.
I would advise a straight vertical climb at full throttle if you get spooked. Until the birds watch the movie Top Gun, that should be an effective evasive maneuver
I had my Phantom in my hand walking back from a session downtown and a medium sized bird dive bombed me and hit me in the head. It really started me and made me want to get out of the area quickly. That in itself isn't unheard of but this bird continued to follow me for about a mile flying from light pole to tree to street sign to telephone line an so forth as I walked. It was very odd because it wouldn't go away. Never seen one act like this or go to this extent. I think it was the Phantom that it was interested in because I'm not that interesting.
For some reason the skies are empty until I take off around here, lots of birds come out to check out what is making all the noise, alot of small birds checking it out. Problem is the Osprey and Vultures are starting to show interest. Was out flying yesterday getting cirled by the same Osprey, unfortunately none on film. I feel bad for the first bird willing to take the chance to grab it, since they all seem to come down from above. I picture alot of feathers in the air. :shock:
Yes, I am pretty sure they will attack an RC aircraft, particularly when they're disputing territory or when they are mating (probably both). I can say that because I have heard first hand reports from glider pilots who have been taken on by red-tailed hawks.
For several years I flew gliders (Grob 1-03, ASK-21)) here in Northern California at two locations which were full of raptors, particularly red-trails. At Calistoga glider port they flew passengers seven days a week, so the commercial pilots had a lot of exposure to birds aloft. One day a pilot returned with a hole in the top of a canopy after a hawk went for him. It wasn't an accidental collision - he said the hawk came at him with talons out. Unfortunately, the hawk didn't survive the encounter, although the incident scared the bejesus out of the poor passengers.
My experiences were much more benign, and incredibly beautiful. Many times I had red-tails join me in a thermal, but only for a couple of turns and then they would leave. Vultures aren't so timid and would thermal with you for the life of the thermal unless you accidentally came straight at them.
One day will be in my memory forever. I was "slope soaring," snugged up against a rock wall called the Palisades at Calistoga, and a hawk flew my wingtip for one entire pass down length of the rocks. He was about three to five feet from the end of my wing, close enough that I could clearly see him glance a shiny bright eye over at me in curiosity as we flew together. Breaking concentration can be deadly there, so I lost sight of him as I made my turn back down the rocks and he was gone when I could look back again.
The bottom line is that if I see a raptor anywhere near my Phantom, I'm going home and giving him all the sky he wants! They will attack. :shock:
A little off topic, but I have flown several feet in front of a bunch of Does and fawns. They barely budged and I hovered in front of them for about a minute. I'd have thought they would have freaked out. My big challenge is to follow the river otters that feed in the sea near me. They are fearless. Unfortunately the gopro wide angle makes something closeby look far away.
I have had several near misses with seagulls around my house.
I took off from my backyard to show a friend how the PV2 works and suddenly heard a huge squawk followed by a dive-bombing seagull doing its best rendition of an eagle about to latch onto a little rabbit. Scared the crappola out of me and missed the PV2 by about 30cm.
I dropped back to safety as quick as possible and disappeared inside again. The seagull circled the house for another 15 minutes before going back to wherever it came.
I tried again about 3 hours later and a similar event occurred. I don't fly from the house anymore haha
I swear a bird tried to mate with my PV when I was flying back from an uneventful flight last month. I had to jerk the Phantom sideways to avoid its swoop.
yes, I nearly faced those kind of incidents, twice. They were going to attack it. But, I managed to get the phantom away and land immediately. This means there is a risk of bird attacks, mostly crows. Watch out for them.
I've chased Canada geese off golf courses a number of times, usually hanging a speaker blasting barking dog recordings. Works reasonably well but the geese have never become aggressive back. I can go a lot faster than them. I have had bees attack the quad a few times, and hummingbirds swoop,at me.
I've lost count of how many birds have had a go at my Phantoms.
At two particular locations,one being here at home,if I fly there will be a flock of swallows on scene very quickly and they are very aggressive towards the Phantom.Some have attacked the props but none have been injured as far as I can see,they keep flying anyway.
Some larger birds have attacked it as well but only as big as seagull/pigeon size so far.One day a bird swooped and went in to bite the props and still came back a second and third time before giving up,despite copping a few good hits.I tried to get back and land but it was fast and determined.
The best bird interaction was with two pelicans which flew in for a look and circled around so I started circling with them,spiraling up and around until I had to land when the battery started running out.
And with all of that I have only captured video of one swallow swooping past the front of the Phantom.
Aside from birds the funniest thing I've seen was a big fat cicada flew into the center of the props from above while the Phantom was hovering and it got bounced around between the prop tips for a couple of seconds and then sucked in and thrown out in a million pieces.Three bladed props and Tiger motors make a great blender. :lol:
There is a video online I have seen in which an Osprey makes an aggressive pass at a Phantom....pulled up short of contact. There has also been another report on this forum when we were discussing another "bird vrs Phantom" thread and someone said his had been struck by a large hawk, probably Red-tail, which falally injured the hawk.
As someone who has worked around the nests of hawks and Osprey, I would bet my house, wife, and daughter (and I am not a betting man) that during nesting season your Phantom WILL be seriously attacked by a nesting bird who believes it is defending its young.
My specialty is bird photography, so this whole topic is of great interest to me. In fact, I never sought out or bought my Phantom. My family thought it might be useful to me in photographing birds nests and bought it for me for that purpose. Now that I have played with it and seen how birds react to it, the LAST thing I would want to do is fly around/near a raptor nest. And unfortunately one does not always know WHERE those are or when one is near them. There are many smaller birds, Kingbirds, Blackbirds, Grackles, etc. that attack and drive off hawks and eagles MUCH bigger and dangerously armed than they are......and an attack by one of them would not surprise me....again in spring nesting season. I haven't experienced that yet.....perhaps only since I only got my Phantom in September.
Their potential effect on waterfowl, especially nuisance geese, has escaped no one and there is real possible economic value in that. I have posed video and comments about how to make a Phantom "act" like an aggressive predator the birds do not want to let get too close.
But make note, with a very few exceptions such as nuisance geese, buzzing birds to make them fly is technically "harassment" and could be the basis of a ticket if you really P.O. someone or an officer.
I was out flying today and noticed a couple of birds not liking my phantom. They went after it. They didn't danger close (<10'), but one good strike with one of them and I'm going down! Has anyone had a bird strike?
I live in the great mid-west of the US and I know the red winged black birds get very aggressive in June.
I had a large hawk go after mine today (wingspan maybe 3') . I was close to landing and as he got close enough he saw us and flew to a tree and landed. came to within a foot or so.
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