Seagulls chasing drones

[JetFalcon]

Anyone ever tried messing with birds or seagulls with the drone? I've tried with pigeons roosting on a roof and they just fly away, looks like a huge explosion of birds. Some sea birds will fly away.

But there are some seagulls who will defend their turf, usually squawk a bunch of times. It's like a different sound though, like the seagull is in distress or defense mode, not just squawking for no reason. Then it will fly and chase after the drone, which I have to put into sport mode. And the seagulls can keep up with the drone in sport mode, and I have some good footage of the birds flying after the drone.

Everyone laughs when they see the seagull chasing the drone, since I'm usually at a beach with bunch of people. It's cool to get a bird to chase the drone, but can a seagull ever attack something like a Phantom 4? Most the time they just chase it and do a big swoop over it and act like they're going to touch but never do. Seems like they're bluffing all the time like they will attack it, but most of them don't.

But if they do touch it or attack it, will the seagull get chopped by the blades or will they actually take it down? I heard on other forums that seagulls will take down smaller drones like the DJI Spark. Maybe b/c that's like if a sparrow were to pick on a fight with a seagull. While the drone is about the size of the seagull.

 

[Jayfdee]

Not good to deliberately chase wildlife, even Gulls, gets our hobby a bad name.
I would never go close, if attacked, I fly away.

 

[stones]

Ok...so you're the individual who posted about being hassled by "old" people bothering you (with questions) and now you're out hassling birds and are worried about that they could harm your drone? ???
Is there any common sense out there? (sigh)

 

[WillZX14R]

JetFalcon, you're asking for trouble. Do us all a favor and please don't chase after or harass any animal period. It's actually one of the FAA rules not to fly over animals.

Sometimes they are seagulls where I fly but I'll go the opposite direction of the field to steer clear from them. We, collectively can't ruin our reputation in regards to the hobby we enjoy doing.

 

[Jayfdee]

I think this poster is just trolling to get a reaction, suspect there will be a reaction.

 

[Cometstorm]

My wife and I are in Missouri.

We cherish visiting the Texas coast and hand feeding the gulls, even when they're in flight. They'll dive, snatch bread from your fingers, or even bread sitting on your head.

They've been our lifelong vacation buddies!

Yet, I can understand those living among them feeling differently,

Scare them or harm them! NEVER!

 

[JetFalcon]

JetFlacone, you're asking for trouble. Do us all a favor and please don't chase after or harass any animal period. It's actually one of the FAA rules not to fly over animals.

So even if I have a helicopter, I can't just fly over a seagull and try chasing it around?

I'd like to see a seagull chase a full sized helicopter.

JetFalcon, you're asking for trouble. Do us all a favor and please don't chase after or harass any animal period. It's actually one of the FAA rules not to fly over animals.

Sometimes they are seagulls where I fly but I'll go the opposite direction of the field to steer clear from them. We, collectively can't ruin our reputation in regards to the hobby we enjoy doing.

I think the FAA just doesn't want you fly nearing airports and that's about it. It's not like birds have their own FAA or learned to follow FAA regulations to not fly near airports.

 

[JetFalcon]

JetFalcon, you're asking for trouble. Do us all a favor and please don't chase after or harass any animal period. It's actually one of the FAA rules not to fly over animals.

Sometimes they are seagulls where I fly but I'll go the opposite direction of the field to steer clear from them. We, collectively can't ruin our reputation in regards to the hobby we enjoy doing.

It's not like birds care about the FAA rules, they love flying near airports and getting sucked into jet engines. Birds are kind of like suicidal terrorists who will fly into airplane engines and make them crash into rivers.

 

[stones]

It's not like birds care about the FAA rules, they love flying near airports and getting sucked into jet engines. Birds are kind of like suicidal terrorists who will fly into airplane engines and make them crash into rivers.

Wow...it says in your profile that you're 29 years old. That can't be possible with your thinking process. And if you really are that age... all I can say is...we're in a lot of trouble folks.

 

[JetFalcon]

Wow...it says in your profile that you're 29 years old. That can't be possible with your thinking process. And if you really are that age... all I can say is...we're in a lot of trouble folks.

You're from Wisconsin, I'm pretty sure you have hunters who shoot bird for fun. Or murder birds for fun.

 

[stones]

You're from Wisconsin, I'm pretty sure you have hunters who shoot bird for fun. Or murder birds for fun.

Are you serious? You think making that statement justifies your thinking on chasing birds with a drone? We're going from apples to oranges.

 

[Hayabusa1]

I think this poster is just trolling to get a reaction, suspect there will be a reaction.

This!

 

[anotherlab]

And people wonder why drones get banned from national parks and other locales.

While there isn't a rule from the FAA that explicitly bans you from harassing seagulls, what you are doing is against the law (with fines going up to $100,000). I don't know where you were flying, but you sound American so let's roll with that. In the US. gulls are classified as migratory species and as such, protected by federal and (usually) state law. It's not a difficult thing to figure out, just pop "seagulls protected species" into your search engine of choice.

The document that classifies gulls as migratory can be read here. The US Migratory Bird Treaty Act is generally documented here and more specifically documented here. Bonus tip: Other countries have similar versions of this law.

 

[kbviper]

Not good to deliberately chase wildlife, even Gulls, gets our hobby a bad name.
I would never go close, if attacked, I fly away.

I support what he said 100%. In Canada there are various laws in relation to chasing or harassing any form of wildlife, and as noted, it gives drone operators a bad name.

I had a bald eagle approach my drone on a flight near my father's summer cottage. The attached photo is a still from the video that was running as I quickly moved out of the area to: (a) Remove any chance of being attacked and possibly knocked out of the air by the eagle, or (b) Having someone accuse me of using the P4 to harass the eagle.

 

[JetFalcon]

And people wonder why drones get banned from national parks and other locales.

While there isn't a rule from the FAA that explicitly bans you from harassing seagulls, what you are doing is against the law (with fines going up to $100,000). I don't know where you were flying, but you sound American so let's roll with that. In the US. gulls are classified as migratory species and as such, protected by federal and (usually) state law. It's not a difficult thing to figure out, just pop "seagulls protected species" into your search engine of choice.

The document that classifies gulls as migratory can be read here. The US Migratory Bird Treaty Act is generally documented here and more specifically documented here. Bonus tip: Other countries have similar versions of this law.

I know of this migratory bird law. I thought it's more for like protecting birds with nests, saying you can't remove them. I know there was an incident that a bridge construction got delayed for weeks because they couldn't remove a hummingbird nest.

But why do birds have such crazy laws to protect them, even to the point a bridge construction was delayed over a hummingbird.

If they have so much protection, is there any law that says kids can't chase birds.

But a bunch of fire fighters at the beach were watching my drone get chased by the seagull. They didn't tell me to stop or tell me it was against the law. They were in uniform and came in a fire truck, so they were on duty.

 

[stones]

....
But a bunch of fire fighters at the beach were watching my drone get chased by the seagull. They didn't tell me to stop or tell me it was against the law. They were in uniform and came in a fire truck, so they were on duty.

Um... they're fire department personnel. Not law enforcement. That doesn't give you a pass on what everyone else can see as a not so smart move to do with your drone. Making any sense yet?

 

[Hayabusa1]

Who cares about FAA, who cares if the bird is protected or not, who cares what some fire fighters did or didn't do while on break.
Don't be an A-hole to any animal.

 

[Othan1]

This!

It is possible that the 29 year old poster is simply mentally disabled and has many physical characteristics showing it as well. That would explain why people don't approach him when they are not the police. Not their problem.

However, if this individual is truly a normally functioning 29 year old, I would agree that this is a troll. Unusual to have such extended prose to kick it off, but odder things have happened, I suppose.

 

[Phantom3News]

Can an administrator delete the foolishness. My 7 year old fly a phantom and respect rules and regulations.

 

[anotherlab]

I know of this migratory bird law. I thought it's more for like protecting birds with nests, saying you can't remove them. I know there was an incident that a bridge construction got delayed for weeks because they couldn't remove a hummingbird nest..

What does that have to do with the reckless harassment of seagulls? You say you know of "this migratory bird law", but it doesn't sound like you know anything about it all. Do you need to have a law explained out for you in order for you to know that something is just wrong to do?

If they have so much protection, is there any law that says kids can't chase birds.

Are you seriously comparing what you did with the drone with children chasing birds at the beach? The kids are not going to catch the birds. If the kids were going after nests or chasing birds away from their nests, then yes, that is illegal and you would want to stop that behavior.

But a bunch of fire fighters at the beach were watching my drone get chased by the seagull. They didn't tell me to stop or tell me it was against the law. They were in uniform and came in a fire truck, so they were on duty.

Perhaps you were thinking of the other people in uniforms, the fish and wildlife officers. They would have stopped you. Management of wildlife regulations typically does not fall under the purvey of fire fighters.