Hi,
In about a few months I have to fly for a client, for about 3 days.
The place I have to fly is a few hunder meter frome where Oystercatcher breed.
They are very protective when breeding and attacked my drone once before. What ended well then.
Biggest problem now is: I have to fly there fore about 3 days. I am allowed to fly there (only the birds do not think so)


is there anyone having experience with this birds?
What can I do best to fly safe?
Will prop Guards safe my drone while attached?  (They do attack hard.)
Anyone with advice thanks on forehand.


Geeting,
Reno

Maybe put some black stickers on the drone so that it looks like an oystercatcher or lapwing?  (black top, white bottom, with some stripes)
A standard Phantom is the same colour as a seagull, it is seagulls that eat their eggs and chicks so they will be aggressive against a white drone.
Maybe use a Mavic - that doesn't look like a seagull.

They will always chase intruders, in the air or on the ground, there is nothing you can do about that.
Only way to be completely safe is to wait until they have finished breeding, or fly before they start.

I suspect oystercatchers wouldn't actually touch the drone unless you were above their nests, a hundred meters away they will just be warning you not to get any closer, so maybe you could start a bit further away and get closer slowly so that they get used to you being near, but the colour is the biggest problem, a pure white drone is their enemy!

Nigel_ Posted at 2018-2-24 06:24
Maybe put some black stickers on the drone so that it looks like an oystercatcher or lapwing?  (black top, white bottom, with some stripes)
A standard Phantom is the same colour as a seagull, it is seagulls that eat their eggs and chicks so they will be aggressive against a white drone.
Maybe use a Mavic - that doesn't look like a seagull.

Thanks for the reply. I will keep this in mind.  

It's very simple, you do not fly on the spot when you disturb the birds. You can move, the birds can not when they have a nest on the ground.

Regards Leif.

Landbo Posted at 2018-2-24 07:17
It's very simple, you do not fly on the spot when you disturb the birds. You can move, the birds can not when they have a nest on the ground.

Regards Leif.

Which it was that simple.  Regulations here already protecting the birds very good (that is a good thing). So the closest I will fly near there breading places, will be a few hundred meters. Which is allowed.   
I Just want to do my job as save as I can.  So any other suggestions are welcome.  Thanks

I color the blades around edge and center with bright red so they are more visible..no idea if it works..but I've had birds fly with drone..freaked me out a little. cheers

proimages Posted at 2018-2-24 10:14
I color the blades around edge and center with bright red so they are more visible..no idea if it works..but I've had birds fly with drone..freaked me out a little. cheers

Thanks,

All together I will go with the coloring advise. And to be sure some prop guards.
I will post results and if the birds were keeping some distance or not.

Good weekend,
Reno  

Reno Maenhout Posted at 2018-2-24 10:24
Thanks,

All together I will go with the coloring advise. And to be sure some prop guards.

I don't think prop guards are a good idea.  If a bird attacks then it will do so from above so the prop guards wont stop it from touching the props, but it might get trapped between the blade and the spokes of the prop guard which would be very bad for the bird, and probably the drone too.

The birds can probably see the props OK and will avoid them, their eyes are a lot faster than ours so they wont look so blurred.

If you do get attacked, the easy way to get out of the way is to fly straight up, the birds can't do that, and an oystercatcher wont fly very high, it wont follow.

Do let us know how you get on, it may be useful information for others...

What about eyes on the drone?

Hello.  Thus Bird like to attack the higher point of an intruder, what usually  the head.  So if you walk this area, they fly up and start straight to attack your head. If you raise a broomstick, without broom even, they go on that. And they like to shxx on intruders.  Idea one is to get a long (one meter minimum) sort off stick mounted on the drone.  Should be able to restist some attacks. Bamboo is light.   Second,  u need an idea how to protect the body of the drone against the pooops. Its agressive shxx...  as a children I grow on the coast. We used this trick to walk trough the farmers land where they breath without getting a hole in the head.  And may u uses carbon props.  Not easy to Break

Good info - thanks for sharing

Nigel_ Posted at 2018-2-24 10:48
I don't think prop guards are a good idea.  If a bird attacks then it will do so from above so the prop guards wont stop it from touching the props, but it might get trapped between the blade and the spokes of the prop guard which would be very bad for the bird, and probably the drone too.

The birds can probably see the props OK and will avoid them, their eyes are a lot faster than ours so they wont look so blurred.

Thanks again. I sure will let you all know how it goes.

Inspired from Nigels reply in #2, i would suggest you buy a set of props for the Obsidian (black), i can't tell if it help against the birds but for sure it will do no harm.

Best luck with your task.

Nigel_ Posted at 2018-2-24 10:48
I don't think prop guards are a good idea.  If a bird attacks then it will do so from above so the prop guards wont stop it from touching the props, but it might get trapped between the blade and the spokes of the prop guard which would be very bad for the bird, and probably the drone too.

The birds can probably see the props OK and will avoid them, their eyes are a lot faster than ours so they wont look so blurred.

Aloha Nigel,

     You are right on the money!  My appreciation.  Well thought out.  Bird brains work much faster than human brains for the most part.  In fact, to many (most) animals, humans are perceived to move in slow-motion.  There are many insects that fly between the raindrops because their brains (and reflexes) operate so fast.  Of course with insects that is almost all they can do since they are so specialized and live such short lives.  But all animals are amazing in what they can do.

     Not too many people understand how animal brains work like you do.  Mahalo for getting this information out there.  It makes understanding animal (and human) behavior so much better.

Aloha and Drone On!

Cetacean Posted at 2018-2-25 03:22
Aloha Nigel,

     You are right on the money!  My appreciation.  Well thought out.  Bird brains work much faster than human brains for the most part.  In fact, to many (most) animals, humans are perceived to move in slow-motion.  There are many insects that fly between the raindrops because their brains (and reflexes) operate so fast.  Of course with insects that is almost all they can do since they are so specialized and live such short lives.  But all animals are amazing in what they can do.

Someone correct me if I’m wrong ,and I don’t have my manual handy, if you put on the prop guards it disables the forward or obstacle sensing.........that’s on the P4. I’m not 100% on that but I think I read that somewhere.

Imovetheearth Posted at 2018-2-25 16:52
Someone correct me if I’m wrong ,and I don’t have my manual handy, if you put on the prop guards it disables the forward or obstacle sensing.........that’s on the P4. I’m not 100% on that but I think I read that somewhere.

Aloha Mover,

     Yes, the old P4 prop guards do block the obstacle sensing.  But the new P4 Pro prop guards are designed differently.  I have both Phantoms and both prop guards and it looks like they are interchangeable.  The DJI Store says the new ones are for the P4 Series.  

     The P4 Pro prop guards do not extend in front (and back) because the obstacle sensing protects the front (and back).  They basically protect the sides because the side IR sensors do not work except in Beginner Mode and Tripod.

     So, look at the P4 Pro prop guards and see if yours are like the P4 Prop guards.  I think they discontinued the old prop guard design, so you might just have the new version.  In this case, they would not disable the obstacle sensing.  If you do not have the new version, DJI does sell the new prop guards ($19).

     Hope this helps!

Aloha and Drone On!

Imovetheearth Posted at 2018-2-25 16:52
Someone correct me if I’m wrong ,and I don’t have my manual handy, if you put on the prop guards it disables the forward or obstacle sensing.........that’s on the P4. I’m not 100% on that but I think I read that somewhere.

Imovetheearth, You are right.

Put eyes on your drone. I did with mine.

My machines regularly get attacked by oyster catchers. I have had collision avoidance activate which means they were pretty close. The best thing to do is climb. My original F450 was the only aircraft actually hit when a seagull hit it from underneath. The other problem with oyster catchers is that they gang up on you as a team!

Bashy Posted at 2018-2-24 21:03
What about eyes on the drone?

For the oystercatchers, you do not want the drone to look threatening, so eyes seem like a bad idea, unless you know how to add eyes that look friendly to oystercatchers!

They will attack anything that looks like it might be threatening to their eggs/chicks. You will not scare them off their nesting site whatever you do.

Good point, not so sure anything will work to be honest, not with eggs/chicks, anything and everything will been considered threatening

Bashy Posted at 2018-2-26 21:11
Good point, not so sure anything will work to be honest, not with eggs/chicks, anything and everything will been considered threatening

No, not everything, they often nest alongside other birds like lapwings and tolerate them.  If you look and behave like something that doesn't concern them then they will leave you alone.

Nigel_ Posted at 2018-2-27 00:23
No, not everything, they often nest alongside other birds like lapwings and tolerate them.  If you look and behave like something that doesn't concern them then they will leave you alone.

I other words, an Egg drone would be the answer?

For those interested, there are some recent scientific studies of bird response to UAV (biologists are interested in using drones to study populations). Here are two examples:
•        Seabird species vary in behavioral response to drone census (Scientific Reports 7, 2017)
•        Approaching birds with drones: first experiments and ethical guidelines (Biology Letters 2015)

Have fun & good reading!

johnsr Posted at 2018-2-27 01:26
For those interested, there are some recent scientific studies of bird response to UAV (biologists are interested in using drones to study populations). Here are two examples:
•        Seabird species vary in behavioral response to drone census (Scientific Reports 7, 2017)
•        Approaching birds with drones: first experiments and ethical guidelines (Biology Letters 2015)

Good reading.
thank you.

If you fly in the bird zone, better if the color of your drone is black

Nebuchadnezzar Posted at 2018-4-20 10:36
If you fly in the bird zone, better if the color of your drone is black

Then they will treat it like a crow, and crows eat eggs!

Nigel_ Posted at 2018-4-21 01:27
Then they will treat it like a crow, and crows eat eggs!

ouch !! i see lol

Thanks all.  After all the problems with the video down link. That still is not solved.
I went testing today.   Ass on the pic. now first tying black props.
Totally no difference. They just do the same. Fly with about 20 this time to the drone and go around it.
Than when drone keeped still, they fly around and do the same.
Only thing that works for about 2 minutes is to let them pass and go in sport mode after them for  a little while. (I only did this for investigation purpose)   
Than keeped the drone on the same place still in the air.   Now they made a bigger round witch gave me 2 minutes extra.
Tried a few times.  They did the same thing.

My thoughts now are: if I have to fly somewhere and they come to the drone just ignore. I do not have the idea they will hit the drone on purpose.
Thanks again.

Have you tried the trick with making eyes on it that was mentioned somewhere?
Here in Denmark we now and then hear of people being attacked of birds when getting to close for their like, usually they attack people from behind but a cap with 'Eyes' on the back is said to keep them doing those attacks.

In hobby stores/sites you can buy some bubble eyes that might do the trick if mounting a pair of the bigger ones on each of the four sides.
Perhaps putting more than a pair like two on the curve leaning upward and a third in the middle where it curve down can make it scary enough to hold them at a safe distance.

This was the type of eyes i had in mind in the post above:

Bubble eyes

Just had to try it now i found them in my drawers, i think perhaps a little smaller would do as it is hard to find a flat spot but so far they stayed on for the flight of one battery. I put them on a piece of double adhesive tape and cut around with a with a scissor.
Not quite a scary look but who know how a bird see it ...

Bubble eyes on Phantom 4 Pro

Let me know if it works L

Reno Maenhout Posted at 2018-5-6 09:13
My thoughts now are: if I have to fly somewhere and they come to the drone just ignore. I do not have the idea they will hit the drone on purpose.

They will hit the drone if you fly over their nests, if you keep your distance then it will just be a warning and you can ignore them. After a while they will loose interest, but that might need a few batteries.