For anyone who has flown on the coast, theres a fair chance you have been dive bombed by seagulls or other birds.
After a particularly frustrating multi-day shoot on the California North Coast, I decided to do some research.
I am happy to report I have seemingly solved the problem. I bought a bright red skins pack for $20 off Ebay and
I have just had my 5th flight on the coast and the birds have stayed well away. No interest in it at all!!!

If you being bombed by birds, give it a try!!

Ian

Need a picture please.

Hi Ian,
Can you post a picture for us?. Just lately I have been hassled by seagulls, I say seagulls but it is only ever one out of the whole flock as if he's told the other seagulls "I got this boys. I'll sort this one out!". Even though, one is more than enough to put you off. Pesky buggers but they were there first.

Mark G.

<iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/152614223" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe>
<p><a href="https://vimeo.com/152614223">With the Flock (WTF)</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/user12632970">Francis</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>

markaguille Posted at 2016-8-23 23:42
Hi Ian,
Can you post a picture for us?. Just lately I have been hassled by seagulls, I say seagulls  ...

Here is a link to the decal pack i bought. I read up everything I could find online about seagulls and determined that the copter needed to be a color that is not found in nature and certainly one that no bird is. Basically the Inspire being white makes the gulls think its some type of threat or invader bird to their territory. So far as I said after 6 flights around gulls, they have stayed away.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/27215526 ... =STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

ian@pre-future. Posted at 2016-8-23 19:53
Here is a link to the decal pack i bought. I read up everything I could find online about seagulls ...

Thanks Ian, I'll look into this.

Mark G.

ian@pre-future. Posted at 2016-8-24 02:53
Here is a link to the decal pack i bought. I read up everything I could find online about seagulls ...

Cool.
Thanks for the post.

ian@pre-future. Posted at 2016-8-24 02:53
Here is a link to the decal pack i bought. I read up everything I could find online about seagulls ...

Thank you for sharing. It seems definitely vibrant enough to help with keeping track of the drone while in the air as well.

Just an update... A friend did his phantom 4 however he left the legs and underbody white and the props were white. Yesterday a full took it out. Today I was flying on a job and I took off and then heard the usual gull screeching sound. The bird flew towards the inspire, took a very long look and then flew away. The take away from this is to make sure you have no white or as little as possible.

ian@pre-future. Posted at 2016-8-25 06:29
Just an update... A friend did his phantom 4 however he left the legs and underbody white and the pr ...

Yesterday I went flying to a place I had been grounded numerous times by gulls. At one point, a whole bunch came squawking towards the Inspire, and one of them kept coming towards me. Usually I would fly straight up to escape but I stayed there to see what would happen. The gull did come in close screeching but then just kept on going and lost interest after that. Seems like its really not a co-incidence anymore.

ian@pre-future. Posted at 2016-8-30 17:30
Yesterday I went flying to a place I had been grounded numerous times by gulls. At one point, a wh ...

Hi Ian,

When you say "a whole bunch came squawking towards "your I1, do you mean they were flying in that direction and one peeled off and appeared to be aggressive toward the I1?
Reason I ask, is when I have experienced "swooping" and "squawking", it has only been from one bird out of the whole herd. I have never been "attacked" by more than one even though there has always been a swarm of them in the near vicinity.

Mark G.  

markaguille Posted at 2016-9-2 02:10
Hi Ian,

When you say "a whole bunch came squawking towards "your I1, do you mean they were flying ...

I have had both occur in the past - where single birds break off from the pack and come roaring in talons first at the drone and then I have also had multiple birds coming at it. Mostly it was individuals I guess if I had to pick. Still no interest from them, although I did have a couple of crows go at it the other day!!

ian@pre-future. Posted at 2016-9-8 04:55
I have had both occur in the past - where single birds break off from the pack and come roaring in ...

Hmmm. Who knows how their tiny minds work?

markaguille Posted at 2016-9-7 23:50
Hmmm. Who knows how their tiny minds work?

So I have to report that on the weekend, I had a very bloody annoying gull chase me. It didn't seem to care about the red skin. Little bastard. At least I have learnt the best way to avoid them is to fly directly up, because they can't do that. Still annoying bastards though. Rats with wings.

Had a similar issue last flight session - although with a Magpie, not a gull.

Australian Magpies are famous for being extremely aggressive in springtime and this fellow darted straight out to challenge the Inspire as soon as I had much more than 20m altitude.
Decided to end the session as I had no wish to either injure the bird or see my Inspire come crashing to earth.

He didn't read the manual!!
Dumb ass doesn't know an Inspire can turn him to McNuggets instantly!

I do still recommend giving some type of very bright 'skin' a try. I have determined whilst it won't work every time, overall it has cut down my interference from birds significantly.