Eagle-on-EGLE* violence: American icon sends govt-flown drone hurtling into the waters of Lake Michigan
- Reference: 1597407906
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2020/08/14/michigan_drone_killer_eagle/
- Source link:
Environmental quality analyst Hunter King was out monitoring erosion with the pricey UAV on 21 July for the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) "to document and help communities cope with high water levels", [1]state government reported .
King was seven minutes into the flight, having spent four days in the area of Escanaba on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, when he had to recall the drone due to patchy satellite reception.
He was watching the drone make its way home on the video feed when it started to spin "like a really bad rollercoaster ride." He searched the skies, but the only culprit to be seen was an eagle casually leaving the scene. A couple of nearby witnesses confirmed they had watched the bird hit something, but a search for the drone proved to be in vain.
The following week, EGLE unmanned aircraft systems coordinator Arthur Ostaszewski returned, having pinpointed the site of the attack from flight data. A kayak and snorkelling gear were required since the UAV went down 150 feet (145m) offshore into four feet (1.2m) of water, but after two hours spent shuffling about in the tannin-stained murk Ostaszewski had to call it quits too.
The great thing about technology nowadays is that you can glean insights like these:
The eagle strike occurred 7:39.7 into the flight roughly four-tenths of a mile [640m] from King and 162 feet above the water
Its speed instantly dropped from 22mph [35kph] to 10mph [15kph]. Within a half-second the flight record shows the beginning of downward spiral along with "excessive spinning" warnings
In the next 3.5 seconds the drone sent 27 warning notifications including one indicating a propeller had been torn off
Gaining momentum as it fell, its last communication came at 34 feet above the water, falling at 30 feet per second, or 20.4mph/33kph
"The attack could have been a territorial squabble with the electronic foe, or just a hungry eagle. Or maybe it did not like its name being misspelled," the agency joked. "EGLE's drone team is considering steps to reduce the possibility of a repeat attack, including possibly using 'skins' or other designs on the aircraft to make them look less like seagulls."
The episode is a case in point for why police forces and governments have attempted to use birds of prey as weapons against nuisance drones. [2]Back in 2016 , Dutch cops said they were developing an "anti-drone eagle squad" only to [3]retire the scheme a year later.
The problem is that nature does what it wants, and while a quadcopter may initially be mistaken for a tasty seagull-esque meal to the bird-brained hunter, repeated encounters with inedible flying plastic and buzzing propellers will make this a less tempting option.
EGLE's work is also a fine example of a UAV actually being used as intended. Still, the UK's Gatwick Airport could have done with this American icon on side when "multiple" reports of drones [4]grounded flights for three days around Christmas 2018. Police never found the perpetrator, [5]wasted £790,000 on the investigation, and [6]wrongly arrested a couple who had to be paid £200,000 in compensation. ®
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[1] https://www.michigan.gov/mienvironment/0,9349,7-385-90161-535800--,00.html
[2] https://www.theregister.com/2017/12/12/the_eagle_has_been_grounded/
[3] https://www.theregister.com/2017/12/12/the_eagle_has_been_grounded/
[4] https://www.theregister.com/2018/12/20/london_gatwick_airport_drones/
[5] https://www.theregister.com/2019/09/27/gatwick_drone_probe_closed_sussex_police/
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2020/06/15/gatwick_drone_couple_payout/
[7] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: American response
Nuke 'em from orbit, its the only way to be sure
Re: American response
As much as I'm enjoying your enthusiasm, I suspect that might make mapping the shorelines a little difficult.
Re: American response
On the contrary - no shorelines to map will make the process quite unnecessary. A win all round and a vicious wild beast that caused hundreds of dollars of damage will have been dealt with.
Re: American response
On the contrary - no shorelines to map will make the process quite unnecessary. A win all round and a vicious wild beast that caused hundreds of dollars of damage will have been dealt with.
That sounds like a government response: "We''ll paty XXX millions to save one thousand dollars and lay waste to the countryside as a side benefit."
Since when is $950 considered pricey for a drone? Especially when the government is involved.
It sounds like he was operating BLOS (beyond line of sight). Isn't that frowned upon by the US gov't?
Not when the drone is flown BY the govt.
Correct. This usage would fall under the purview of the FAA who forbid beyond LOS operation.
As this is public sector, what are the odds of anything coming of that?
Bees
n our daily course of supplying software for drone mapping, we test them regularly. We've only had one reported bird attack, but you'll notice in certain times of the year, nesting season I guess, in some areas birds will start to circle them, at which point we land.
More curious though was one very particular make of drone would attract bees, swarms of them, they don't stand a chance and the drones would land completely covered in bee guts, other bees still swarming around the thing. We stopped flying them on days when they seemed to be around.
Re: Bees
Male honey bees are called drones. The bees swarming around your drone probably thought it was trying to escape its duties to the queen.
Re: Bees
You should apply for a grant from the EPA and determine whether its the frequency of props or some chemical used during manufacturing/shipping. If you can develop one that attracts murder hornets, you could make some money.
Also, what's the model number? Its coming up on christmas and that sounds like a perfect gift for an enemy.
' into four feet (1.2m) of water'
In years gone by their first thoughts might have been "Get Jacques Cousteau".
Would it be practical to have some floating device attached to the drone? Seems useful for drones flying above water.
Or at least a floating buoy so that the memorial is put in the right place.
I thought DJI's commie drones were banned for use by the Government of Trumpton.
Gatwick drones
These were police drones looking for the initial reported drone, which turned out to be a police drone. The search wasn't documented so more drones were reported. It was a total screw up so it will be a long time before it's formally confirmed.
Harump
Mess with the eagle, get the claws.
American response
Naturally will be to arm the drones, or just shoot all the eagles in the area