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I fly drones including with commercial filming permits at conservation parks/islands with large bird populations. Different types of birds react in various ways
by prawn 5y ago
I fly drones including with commercial filming permits at conservation parks/islands with large bird populations. Different types of birds react in various ways to a drone though I've never noticed similar birds to these act in an overly panicked way. Some types of birds will take flight and then resettle, some will circle closely and try to intimidate the drone (galahs), some charge or consider attacking it (osprey, whistling kite), some ignore it (wedge tailed eagles - at least in my experience so far^), etc.
The permit in a case like this would require that I land safely if the presence of the drone alters the behaviour of the birds (even if they're staying on the ground, but bobbing their head). Here's a video below from a tiny, low island with a bird population in the tens of thousands, where a group of hikers have possibly spooked birds that are then flying towards the drone from the other side of the island. Most passed under the drone, suggesting they weren't concerned; I was keeping the drone still or moving slowly and predictably towards where I could land on the beach. This flock was going through for some time. I don't think these are terns, but there were crested terns on that island.
Troubridge Island birds: https://bit.ly/3z49lwm https://bit.ly/3z49lwm
I don't mean to discount the impact of drones, but I suspect that a repeated close drone presence is more likely to cause birds to abandon a nest than a crash. That is generally the concern with raptor nests where I live.
My thought when reading the article was that off-leash dogs might've had the main impact in abandonment of eggs, but that drones are more likely to make a headline for the story. Couldn't find an original press release, but every news headline is about drones.
^ Here's one encounter with a wedge-tailed eagle. It beat its wings perhaps to make sure it was clear but didn't seem to move its head at all. In other cases, they've not beaten their wings or moved their heads so weren't visibly bothered. https://bit.ly/3uVIvn5 https://bit.ly/3uVIvn5
And here's a whistling kite coming in to attack but then changing its mind at the last moment: https://bit.ly/3vTJ0za https://bit.ly/3vTJ0za
- everybodyknows 5y agoAs a mitigation, consider a slower, quieter, winged drone. With gyro stabilization, one could be built to mimic the profile of a large non-predator, recognizable as such to the vulnerable birds. Vulture, goose, albatross ... Drone hackers: Consider the business opportunity here.
- SkittyDog 5y agoFixed wing drones require considerably more skill and training to fly. They also cannot take off/land vertically, they need a runway or catapult/arrest system to operate. As a result, fixed wing drones are not generally a realistic substitute for quad-copter drones. The poster you're replying to has already mentioned getting permits to fly near wildlife, and taking appropriate consideration for the welfare of the birds being filmed. It sounds like they're doing a fine job of flying responsibly, already.
- prawn 5y agoMy interaction with birds is not a key part of my drone work, just incidental. The drone I have is the best option for what I need - often need to launch from a boat, hand-catch, move precisely amongst trees, etc.
- CameronNemo 5y agoOff leash dogs and bikes could not have reached the nesting site. It is an island with a fence between the trail and the waterways surrounding the island. I dunno maybe the barking could have caused a disturbance.
- prawn 5y agoMust've been a reason they mentioned it. I was picturing an island well off shore. It's right next to a highway! Not sure exactly which island in the complex held the eggs, but one is about 100m from a campground/RV park.
- ericmcer 5y agoWouldn’t the drones flying put it into a whole different threat category from humans/dogs/bikes? Birds are probably smart enough to realize hikers cannot threaten them or their eggs if they are up in a tree, but a large, fast flying object is pretty much game over for them and their eggs unless they abandon the area entirely. Your theory that dogs are the main cause just doesn’t make sense to me, birds can’t be so dumb that they leave their eggs to rot because a dog is walking around below them, why even bother evolving flight and nesting in trees?
- prawn 5y agoCoastal birds like these are laying their eggs openly on the sand. You can see a picture here: https://bit.ly/3gcjZbY https://bit.ly/3gcjZbY A dog off-leash would rip through and harass ever bird in the vicinity as well as damage any egg they wanted to. The "island" looks like it's in a shallow swamp that a dog could run across easily enough, though someone mentioned the area is usually fenced. Here's a video of me flying a drone slowly over a group of crested terns sitting on rocks (birds similar to those in the story). I am maybe six feet above them. The only time they really moved was when a large wave hit the rocks and they left and returned when it subsided. There are a few dozen birds under the drone, while others are returning after the wave washed through - you can see they are not particularly bothered by it. (Obviously a drone crashing into the ground would spook them more.) https://bit.ly/2T4t5PT https://bit.ly/2T4t5PT
- 7952 5y agoSome bird species tend to take-off and fly about when disturbed. This may causes an energy defecit that could have an effect. Birds may have evolved to roost for a particular portion of the day and be put under stress if they can't. There is not necessarily good science on this but wading or coastal birds are probably best avoided.