Seagull attack

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CaptJack

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Was happily flying my P4 over Newport Beach harbor until it was suddenly assaulted by 3 seagulls. I was ducking and diving the drone while these rats with wings were attacking it. Never seen anything like it. Sadly the birds won and splashed my drone into the harbor.

Should I even bother to try and retrieve it. I have DJI Care coverage but I think it's null and void of water damaged and unrecoverable.

Does anyone have any guidance on whether my DJI Care will cover this accident?


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Next time climb out full-throttle straight up. They can't keep up! Been there but the bird failed in splashing my Phantom. I don't think DJI coverage handles bird attack, but you can call them and ask! I would try to recover it just for the video (assuming you were recording).

CaptJack said:
Was happily flying my P4 over Newport Beach harbor until it was suddenly assaulted by 3 seagulls. I was ducking and diving the drone while these rats with wings were attacking it. Never seen anything like it. Sadly the birds won and splashed my drone into the harbor.

Should I even bother to try and retrieve it. I have DJI Care coverage but I think it's null and void of water damaged and unrecoverable.

Does anyone have any guidance on whether my DJI Care will cover this accident?


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app
Click to expand...
 
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CaptJack said:
Was happily flying my P4 over Newport Beach harbor until it was suddenly assaulted by 3 seagulls. I was ducking and diving the drone while these rats with wings were attacking it. Never seen anything like it. Sadly the birds won and splashed my drone into the harbor.

Should I even bother to try and retrieve it. I have DJI Care coverage but I think it's null and void of water damaged and unrecoverable.

Does anyone have any guidance on whether my DJI Care will cover this accident?


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app
Click to expand...
Tuff break, I live on the coast but haven't had to deal with that yet. We've got a lot of eagles around too. I've often thought about what I would do in that scenario. I've formed a plan for myself that I'm going to try and follow if it happens. Of coarse it all depends on how much go-juice is left in the tank.

1. Don't allow them to get above you. You have the advantage of going vertical, they don't. They have to work for every bit of altitutude, you don't.

2. If not already done, switch to sport or atti. You'll be able to ascend and descend at top speed.

3. Punch the throttle and get above them and book it for home. They'll have a harder time doing 45mph if they have to gain altitude at the same time.

4. Once you're home descend at full speed in a large spiral flight path. If they start gaining on you, punch the throttle and make the bastards work for it. Hopefully you can get it close enough to mitigate any damage. Better than it going into the drink.

I make no garranties that this will work because it's not been put to the test. Of coarse it won't help you, and that SUCKS out loud.
 
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Dirty Bird said:
Next time climb out full-throttle straight up. They can't keep up! Been there but the bird failed in splashing my Phantom. I don't think DJI coverage handles bird attack, but you can call them and ask! I would try to recover it just for the video (assuming you were recording).
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I guess I'm going to have to learn to type faster DB. Lol
 
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SoundByte said:
1. Don't allow them to get above you. You have the advantage of going vertical, they don't. They have to work for every bit of altitutude, you don't.
Click to expand...

That makes sense.. I'll have to make sure my max altitude is set to 500 meters next time I fly near gulls. A rapid climb to 1600 feet ought to get them gulls looking for something else to chase :)
 
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I flew 4 flights at the beach several weeks ago, but I always flew at 400' with no problems. I could see gulls and pelicans way down below but nothing anywhere close at that height. Still, with a report like this, I will set my max higher in case I do have to go full military up up and away to avoid this nuisance.
 
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SoundByte said:
Tuff break, I live on the coast but haven't had to deal with that yet. We've got a lot of eagles around too. I've often thought about what I would do in that scenario. I've formed a plan for myself that I'm going to try and follow if it happens. Of coarse it all depends on how much go-juice is left in the tank.

1. Don't allow them to get above you. You have the advantage of going vertical, they don't. They have to work for every bit of altitutude, you don't.

2. If not already done, switch to sport or atti. You'll be able to ascend and descend at top speed.

3. Punch the throttle and get above them and book it for home. They'll have a harder time doing 45mph if they have to gain altitude at the same time.

4. Once you're home descend at full speed in a large spiral flight path. If they start gaining on you, punch the throttle and make the bastards work for it. Hopefully you can get it close enough to mitigate any damage. Better than it going into the drink.

I make no garranties that this will work because it's not been put to the test. Of coarse it won't help you, and that SUCKS out loud.
Click to expand...

I agreee with you. This is the only way to escape an eagle or other predator. I work with ornitologists and eagle sureveys. Eagle can of course go higher but not vertical. More problem can actually be raven..
 
ftttu said:
I flew 4 flights at the beach several weeks ago, but I always flew at 400' with no problems. I could see gulls and pelicans way down below but nothing anywhere close at that height. Still, with a report like this, I will set my max higher in case I do have to go full military up up and away to avoid this nuisance.
Click to expand...
When in doubt, go ballistic ;-)
 
Dirty Bird said:
Next time climb out full-throttle straight up. They can't keep up! Been there but the bird failed in splashing my Phantom. I don't think DJI coverage handles bird attack, but you can call them and ask! I would try to recover it just for the video (assuming you were recording).
Click to expand...

What happens if the updated app won't let you to stop the battery voltage dipping too low? Or doesn't it do that on the P4?
 
Wibble said:
What happens if the updated app won't let you to stop the battery voltage dipping too low? Or doesn't it do that on the P4?
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That would be the last thing on my mind in this situation. I'd be to busy trying to keep the bird from knocking me out the sky.
 
Wibble said:
Maybe they learnt their lesson from the P3. Why save the battery if it makes the aircraft crash!
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When I fly at the beach, I have four tiny men in rotating turrets below each motor, armed with tiny machine guns. They open fire whenever they see gulls. The only problem was initially training them to recognize the difference between sea gulls and bikini-clad "gulls".
 
These gulls are protecting their nests, usually with babies this time of year. Other times of year they aren't as aggressive. At the end of Balboa road, where it turns into Channel rd, I've been attacked too in the late spring. On the other side of the Newport jetty, at Corona del Mar, there are less seagulls if you fly south.

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I love chase eagles over the water. mastered it really well, can easily fly close behind like WWII airplane .
 
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CaptJack said:
Was happily flying my P4 over Newport Beach harbor until it was suddenly assaulted by 3 seagulls. I was ducking and diving the drone while these rats with wings were attacking it. Never seen anything like it. Sadly the birds won and splashed my drone into the harbor.

Should I even bother to try and retrieve it. I have DJI Care coverage but I think it's null and void of water damaged and unrecoverable.

Does anyone have any guidance on whether my DJI Care will cover this accident?


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app
Click to expand...

Lot's of people are having troubles with seagulls. Specially if near their breeding areas.
There are some theories on colors... some paint their drones red or orange and they have some success...

I rather have the birds used to my phantom...
Look. Several species of seagulls and neither of them attaked me.
 
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