The clash with seagulls - is it wise to escape up?

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Two days ago I was at the sea side and wanted to catch some video of cliffs and coast. But from the beginning there was two nasty seagulls. Particular one of them was showing strong interest to my Phantom.
I was only 30 m from the coastline when it approached in a fast way in a descending curve to my P. It seemed that it want to hit it. When the seagull was only a few meters away it turns up and aside. In the same moment I push the P up and on the other side. That situation repeated few times always with the same result. Sometimes I escaped up and to the left sometimes vice versa and sometimes down. It seems to me that the most effective way was quick down because the seagull when very close can not so quickly turn straight down. The seagull always approached from a little higher position descending in a slope straight line and if I reacted with quick ascent I would eventually crash with the bird.
Maybe the seagull even didn't want to put the drone down and it was showing only an interest for the closer look but it ruined my video because most of the time I was escaping a seagull instead of watching the best position for the picture.
I then moved to the other place at around 300 m ahead but - o no (!), there was the same seagull repeating its behavior. So I packed and walked away.
Do anyone have the similar experience?
 
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They are little characters and enjoyable to watch. I often wondered where they go in the winter.
 
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I'm a big fan of up, but as you mention they often come down at an angle, so you need enough distance to ensure you can get away.

Straight down isn't a great option as there is always the potential that you could end up in vortex ring state if you descend too quickly. Maybe down and towards the bird would be a good idea, as away or to the side might give them time to adjust their flightpath and still catch up to you.
 
Evading birds is always a challenge. Typically straight up works best as phantoms can climb faster than they can descend and birds can descend faster than they can climb but as been mentioned, it depends on the particular situation. Some pilots mention that disabling obstacle avoidance seems to help with NOT attracting birds as the aircraft is not emitting any ultrasonic sound which may attract/annoy wildlife.
 
Take some reflective tape with you and put it on your Phantom. Then they know it's not another bird. Reflective devices work in the garden don't they?
 
I’m wondering the same thing. Possibly a strobe light even in the daytime might help.
 
Seagulls are easy to control. Just keep a big bag of popcorn in your pocket and throw it in the area where you want them to be, and they will go there. ;);)


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Two days ago I was at the sea side and wanted to catch some video of cliffs and coast. But from the beginning there was two nasty seagulls. Particular one of them was showing strong interest to my Phantom.
I was only 30 m from the coastline when it approached in a fast way in a descending curve to my P. It seemed that it want to hit it. When the seagull was only a few meters away it turns up and aside. In the same moment I push the P up and on the other side. That situation repeated few times always with the same result. Sometimes I escaped up and to the left sometimes vice versa and sometimes down. It seems to me that the most effective way was quick down because the seagull when very close can not so quickly turn straight down. The seagull always approached from a little higher position descending in a slope straight line and if I reacted with quick ascent I would eventually crash with the bird.
Maybe the seagull even didn't want to put the drone down and it was showing only an interest for the closer look but it ruined my video because most of the time I was escaping a seagull instead of watching the best position for the picture.
I then moved to the other place at around 300 m ahead but - o no (!), there was the same seagull repeating its behavior. So I packed and walked away.
Do anyone have the similar experience?


 
Two days ago I was at the sea side and wanted to catch some video of cliffs and coast. But from the beginning there was two nasty seagulls. Particular one of them was showing strong interest to my Phantom.
I was only 30 m from the coastline when it approached in a fast way in a descending curve to my P. It seemed that it want to hit it. When the seagull was only a few meters away it turns up and aside. In the same moment I push the P up and on the other side. That situation repeated few times always with the same result. Sometimes I escaped up and to the left sometimes vice versa and sometimes down. It seems to me that the most effective way was quick down because the seagull when very close can not so quickly turn straight down. The seagull always approached from a little higher position descending in a slope straight line and if I reacted with quick ascent I would eventually crash with the bird.
Maybe the seagull even didn't want to put the drone down and it was showing only an interest for the closer look but it ruined my video because most of the time I was escaping a seagull instead of watching the best position for the picture.
I then moved to the other place at around 300 m ahead but - o no (!), there was the same seagull repeating its behavior. So I packed and walked away.
Do anyone have the similar experience?

Calculated Sea Gull Attack , they Circled all the way around .

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Gear to fly your Phantom in the rain.

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South Florida of course. We gave them here year round.
South Florida of course. We gave them here year round.
We have them here year round. I have no idea why. They hang around the Monongahela river. To me, It is funny to see them flying in the snow. I watch them a lot at my daughter's house in Erie, Pa. flying in snow storms.
 
I've written this before, when they attacked my P4 , I took off after them. It didn't take long and they left and left my P4 alone. They don't like being chased.
 
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We have them here year round. I have no idea why. They hang around the Monongahela river. To me, It is funny to see them flying in the snow. I watch them a lot at my daughter's house in Erie, Pa. flying in snow storms.

Them seagulls up there probably hate the hot climate, can’t say I blame them. When the humidity rises the heat index can be 105* and above.
 
Them seagulls up there probably hate the hot climate, can’t say I blame them. When the humidity rises the heat index can be 105* and above.
I've lived in Florida on and off since 1957. I left Florida in 2007. I was in construction, welding and pipe fitting. I have family in every corner of the state. I return about 3 times a year to visit family.
 
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I've lived in Florida on and off since 1957. I left Florida in 2007. I was in construction, welding and pipe fitting. I have family in every corner of the state. I return about 3 times a year to visit family.

I live in Florida and although I love the cold and have vacationed up north in winter numerous times my favorite place here in Florida is Sanibel Island.
 
Thank's for such a useful list of advises. Each of them is working depend on a specific situation.
I like that one with popcorn. I'll take it with next time or better take my wife to do that. I like that with strobe and with reflecting tapes as well.
I was filming at the coast of Rovinj, Croatia that time and seagulls there are bigger and almost all white. The landscape is really great - see the pics.

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NICE PICTURES! Alaska has gulls year around also. I live one mile from Kachemak Bay and the place is a bird haven! Ravens and Bald Eagles are everywhere. But, for some odd reason I have not had any issues with any of them. In the fall the Sandhill Cranes gather up for their migration south and I go up and watch them. You have to keep some distance from them though, because it is a law to not harass wildlife. And the sound seems to move them away. Stay away from Eagles nests and they don’t bother you. The Ravens tend to chase the Eagles and the gulls too. But I imagine my time will come when one of them will get p***ed off and teach me a lesson. I hear that they taste just like Spotted Owl and Bald Eagle ?. Maybe their feathers will help protect my Bird from the cold ?!
 

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