Birds curious about P3

[Raanan]

While doing videos today, I noticed a big bird rotating around my P3, closing range.
I took down fast the P3, and noticed a second big bird closing in.
It seems the birds are attracted to the quad, and I was not pleased by the idea to loose it for a bird curiosity.

My question in the forum is: Someone have an idea of what may distract birds from our drones?
Maybe specific color, maybe specific pattern? maybe disguising them as eagles or whatever frighten birds?

I suspect not few drones were hit by birds. So maybe a bird specialist (Ornitolog?) can place an idea?

 

[the ghost who walks]

I had a sea eagle circling mine the other day at a local park. The eagle was high up and I was flying low in the park but I was still a bit nervous, those birds are quick when they decide to have a go at something. My old ar drone 2 got taken out by a group of homing pigeons at the same Park! The pic in my signature is one of them just before impact.

 

[Raanan]

I believe there can be a pattern or picture (I know balloons with picture of big holographic eye distract pigeons) that can distract birds, or at least most of them.
I would buy a wrap cover of such pattern if available... Can make it myself, but need to know what may work..



mayybe a 3D pic of an eye cover will work.. just an idea.

I will make a decall of this for my P3 just in case

 

[4wd]

There has been some research done on scarecrows which suggests birds are made uncomfortable and avoid eyes 'watching' them even without the actual scarecrow part.
In a veg plot we found cardboard cut outs of cat faces worked well even if the picture was just lying flat on the ground.

 

[joefromga]

This should take care of it :

 

[Raanan]

Absolutely...however my cat is not willing to do the job. Lazy bas...rd

 

[TnHwyman]

At certain times of the year (example/ nesting) I feel some birds are territorial hedging toward a fight. I usually try to head up above an encounter thinking in my head that a bird will strike in a downward motion, putting me in the advantage position. I'm no expert on the matter, just feels logical in my gut. Here in east Tennessee I tend to freak out a bit when a slew of Turkey Buzzards hang out for a visit. Their size alone puts me on the edge of my seat.

 

[Jean]

I have a couple of buzzards (Buteo buteo) living near my house and I am concerned enough about them that I avoid flying my P3 near the house if they are out and about. I don't think that taking your P3 down fast is much of an option. they move a lot faster. I'd also be interested in a solution or way to behave to avoid being attacked by them.

 

[jingthing]

No idea of the conditions you were flying in but it could be if the bird was circling he was in a thermal using it to either gain height or sustain altitude, you just happened to be there,
Us hang glider pilots find birds can be the best indicator of lift and we use them, we dive in and fly with them, Dont worry about attacks so much, it happens but not so often, no contact just scare tactics mostly, have been attacked a few times over the years, i soon realised these attacks were not aimed at me but the wing itself, if on the way up they are busy and have little to no interest.

 

[Raanan]

Hi Jingthing,
Hang glider is a bit different then a drone in the sky. If a bird try to get near the drone and get caught by the props, the drone will go down, maybe the bird too. The fear is that bird curiosity or desire to investigate from near range a drone will end in fall from the sky of one or either. Looking at the Hawk or whatever big bird that was approaching my drone was not for thermal. It flew around it and while I was taking it down, a second one came from other direction.They were no doubt checking to see if the drone is a valid pray for them...
So I prefer to have the DJI covered on top with some big eye decal, just in case..

 

[jingthing]

Not sure they view a phantom as prey, more chance they want it gone from their chosen area of hunting or nesting, i still believe they first use scare tactics,
Would be interesting to know if a large eye has any effect, i do know birds of prey have brought down paragliders by getting tangled in the lines so not only a danger to a phantom.

 

[jingthing]

In this case the pilot was high enough and had time to throw his rescue chute, might seem off topic to many but a phantom would bring the guy down also.

 

[4wd]

With a phantom your great advantage if attacked is going straight up - birds can't do that.
The hardest part is deciding if they are just having a look or planning something!

 

[jingthing]

With a phantom your great advantage if attacked is going straight up - birds can't do that.
The hardest part is deciding if they are just having a look or planning something!

Good idea, although masters of the air, large species seem to avoid flapping their wings unless left with no choice, without lift around of some kind they either look for food below from where they perch or go hungry.

 

[Jean]

With a phantom your great advantage if attacked is going straight up - birds can't do that.
The hardest part is deciding if they are just having a look or planning something!

Yes, maybe a fast up to take evasive action, then leave the area as quickly as possible before descending back down.

 

[jingthing]

Yes, maybe a fast up to take evasive action, then leave the area as quickly as possible before descending back down.

Which area of greece do you live? I lived in the mani 14 years, snake eagles were a wonderful spectator sport for me especially before sundown, watching them glide low level across my land following every contour then over the wall down the dirt track to catch a snake soaking the last of the heat,
After the catch others came to steal it, acrobatic fights with the snake often dropped and caught.

 

[Jean]

Which area of greece do you live?

I am in Crete. My main concern is buzzards. There are plenty of griffon vultures but they would not (I hope!) attack a Phantom. Just curious and gliding nearer to have a look. In the mountains you get the occasional golden eagle (which could be a real problem as they are really fast and very territorial) but it's rare enough to see one that I am not too worried about them.

 

[Alan NZ]

My P3P was recently dive bombed by a very large seagull. I brought my phantom down after some scary evasive flying However about a metre off the ground in our back yard it swooped down and just missed. It wasn't even scarred of me.
I'm thinking either territorial or nesting.
This gull was aggressive!!

 

[Raanan]

Hi Alan, your description is simillar to what I had today. I had no doubt about the hawk aggressiveness, and took the P3P immediately as fast as I could down. The hawk was looking at it from above, so I figured out it would be better not to go toward it. The event terminated my session as I was not certain for the integrity of the P3P with such birds around. I am looking for a nice holographic big eye to attach to the P3P top area, I hope birds dont like it.
Thanks for sharing

,

 

[jingthing]

Hi Alan, your description is simillar to what I had today. I had no doubt about the hawk aggressiveness, and took the P3P immediately as fast as I could down. The hawk was looking at it from above, so I figured out it would be better not to go toward it. The event terminated my session as I was not certain for the integrity of the P3P with such birds around. I am looking for a nice holographic big eye to attach to the P3P top area, I hope birds dont like it.
Thanks for sharing

,

I remember at one time in europe a reflective ball was used to keep birds away, the idea being their own reflection was enough, not suggesting a ball of any kind but just covering part of the shell.