Well....I went up north to Lummi Is for the weekend and took my drone with.
I got some nice photos and vid but what I didn't expect was an Eagal attack.    No damage but I had to do some crazy flying.
It's no secret that there are lots of these big birds in the PacificNorthWest but I always look for them.
So all was clear and I was just taking some stills and ZOOM.....in swoops an Eagle.
One quick dive and he circles for more.
So I jam the sticks down and back to bring my baby as close to me as I can...about 10-15 feet away and 10 feet high.
So the bruit just started to circle and lost interest.
I'm guessing that this bird saw my drone from some distance away and came over to check it out.
So......beware.....These raptors will show up before you wven know it and you don't really have any time to prepair.
I was lucky and had time to withdraw my super cool Phantom-4 oldschool  to a safe place but I never saw it comming.
I suppose to a raptor these drones look like a very confused bird and hence....low hanging fruit.
You-all keep this in mind when you fly....Just because you don't see them.....Doesn't mean they arn't there.  

Pics, videos, or it didn’t happen. Hahaha


You were fortunate, not to be videoing off the edge of a tall cliff, or from the top of a very tall tree...
As that’s where your drone might have been carried off to...


RedHotPoker

I've got  a couple of photos but I didn't take any photos until after I was sure My baby was safe.  By then the bird was about 100 feet away and is no more then a small speck on picture.
I was flying over a ledge.    I was at about 900 feet ASL at take off and went up another 150 feet from there.   I'll work over a photo tomorrow and post it here if I have time.
My point is that these birds can see you before you can see them and they will come and have a look.
I think the worst birds are the seagulls.   They will crowd around a drone every time they see one....
I really can't imagine trying to take a photo of something attacking your drone instead of hauling a-- out of the way.   I didn't give the eagle the chance to strike my drone. Had I just hovered it I'm sure it would have ended up as baby food. DJI needs to make a hard hat for these things  

Straight up is the best course of action then fly home once out of immediate danger to drone or bird  

Yes, raptors can see a tiny mouse on the ground, from their vantage point,  hundreds of meters up in the sky...

Now we understand the sentiment, “eyes of an eagle” more easily.

I was only jesting about pics.

Glad you brought her down, before an eventual attack of the razor sharp talons.


RedHotPoker

I hope this turns out ok....my first photo download.
This was the photo I took of eagle after I got my Phantom-4 no bling to a safe place.

So...when you fly these birds can and will come out of nowhere.  fly safe   

This is the photo where you can't really see the eagle.

He looks disappointed and still mad or hungry lol.  Lucky for him he stayed away and kept all his feathers.

You know.....all and all it's pretty freeky when it happens.   It's not for a few seconds that you figure out what's going on.
And then......it's  takes time to react.    I was only about 300 feet out and not too high.....the drone.
So it isn't as easy to get back to a safe place as fast as really needed, those birds can TURN.
That's the reason It's hard to get a shot of the attack.   By the time it's over....it's over.  Unless youre the type who just wants to see how much damage an Eagle can do  
I'll save the drama for someone else......I'll be happy to live to fly another day  

I had a similar thing happen once. Luckily i was thinking quik that day.
Immediately switched to sports mode straight into a vertical climb then high tailed it out of there with the eagle chasing.
Every time i saw the eagle get ready for another go at the drone i whent into a vertical climb as fast as it would go. Luckily the bird never came in contact with drone and ive never flown in that location again.

Another GR8 reason to KEEP YOUR DRONE IN SIGHT  
Worse things happen at sea but still......These drones are expensive..
These big birds can show up and you can't tell until they hit your drone and then...……..it's too late
Keep it where you can see it....

I had a small bird heading directly to my drone once, in mid air.

I thought there would be a small explosion of feathers and drone bits...

Thankully, he passed me, and probably thought, oh boy, that was a close call... ha


RedHotPoker

Odan Posted at 2018-7-9 06:02
[view_image]
I hope this turns out ok....my first photo download.
This was the photo I took of eagle after I got my Phantom-4 no bling to a safe place.

Nice pics. Thanks.


RedHotPoker

There were a lot of bugs out that day too.    My props and front of the drone up where the gps stuff is were covered in bug splatter.   It was gross
Does anyone else have to clean their drones after they fly ?