So my P4 Obsidian’s maiden flight was cut short..

Red90 · Mar 13, 2018

It was a beautiful day here in Wales, the perfect day for giving our new P4 Pro its first flight.

It wasn’t to last however. After giving it the basic flight manoeuvres to test the connection a local Red Kite became VERY interested & started circling above (unfortunately stopping me getting footage of it!). It got closer and closer and I figured it was only a matter of time before there was a mid-air attack/collision..

With safety in mind I brought it down - a total flight time of five minutes! Here’s to hoping that it’s not raining on the weekend & the local birds of prey aren’t on the prowl!!

Timinator · Mar 14, 2018

Better to land and pack away to fly another day than stay up, eventually come down involuntarily, and require repair.

Red90 · Mar 14, 2018

Very wise words indeed. They're big birds and would make a mess I am sure!

shroppy · Mar 15, 2018

Red90 said:
Very wise words indeed. They're big birds and would make a mess I am sure!

I had 3 of them flying from a tree in the middle of my OE! Focussed the mind a bit!
Also had a couple wheeling about investigating my drone whilst videoing a local castle a couple of weeks ago, thankfully only on the last flight.

R.Perry · Mar 16, 2018

I had a red tail hawk circling the Inspire while it was doing a pano, he didn't get that close but I nearly stopped the pano and brought it back. I'm wondering if these birds are just curious, I know the props on the Inspire would tear a bird up badly and probably bring the inspire down depending on how bad the prop or props were damaged.

Geoff G UK · Mar 17, 2018

It's a bad time of the year (in UK) to get near birds of prey, as they are establishing and defending their breeding teritories! It may just have been having a bad day or have been looking for a bit of sport though!

Also worth remembering that they (Red Kites) are a Schedule 1 species, so it's an offence to knowingly disturb them at or near their nest. In the UK this applies to a fair list of birds so it's worth knowing them and understanding their behaviour so that you know whether you're doing that.

Might be a bit breezy and cold on the fingers for a retry this weekend though!

Red90 · Mar 17, 2018

Thanks for the info.

The Kites are a beautiful site around here, having successfully been re-introduced to mid Wales they’ve gradually moved south & several can now be seen on an almost daily basis.

I think we’ll move our training area as the last thing I want to do is disturb these magnificent creatures!

Geoff G UK · Mar 17, 2018

I think that if you're using the area regularly you'd soon build up a picture of their normal behaviour, as they would of yours. If you're not bothering them they will most likely ignore you.

I once noticed a heron fishing about 20 meters from a JCB, which was clearing the same ditch. It saw us, walking quietly, about 100 meters away, and flew off!!

Electronick · Mar 17, 2018

Red Kites are simply curious/nosey, that's their nature. I wouldn't worry too much about them. I've flown with them several times, they come over to check you out and make sure you're not another raptor/threat, then carry on looking for dead rabbits and worms. You're not likely to disturb them - unless they happen to decide to nest nearby.

I have managed to get a bit of footage of a Kite coming in to check me out once, I found it's actually quite hard to track them in 3 dimensions and fly the drone at the same time. They're hard to see on a tablet screen and if they're not outlined against the sky, then they're almost impossible to see - trying to watch them on screen and in real life and juggle the drone and camera is almost impossible.

If a BOP does decide to have a go at you, if you're not at max flight height, then go upwards to escape them rather than immediately flying horizontally or descending - you can climb quicker than they can and they feel at a disadvantage if you have the height on them. It can give you a few extra seconds advantage to get your speed up and get away.

Finally, if you keep getting attacked or chased at a location, then it's a sign the BOP might have a territory/nest nearby, at that point it's better to leave them to it and find somewhere else to fly.

BTW, Red Kites weren't really reintroduced into mid Wales as such - their last natural stronghold in the UK was up around Rhayader and Llanidloes and I used to frequently see them out over the higher roads towards Machynlleth when I was down there in the mid 80's. There were a few pairs up in Snowdonia at the time too. The reintroduction programs have worked very well in other areas of the county though, and it's nice to see them without the ugly wing tags they put on in the early days of the programs.

R.Perry · Mar 17, 2018

Thanks guys for the lessons.

Red90 · Mar 17, 2018

Great information, thanks.

I’ve been meaning to visit the feeding centre near Builth Wells - apparently they have dozens that visit & it’s quite a sight..

I’ll remember your advice next time I get buzzed by one!

Geoff G UK · Mar 17, 2018

Rhayader is a great place to watch them, and hundreds often turn up. It's also a great place to get ground based flight shots of them. Excellent long lens follow focus practice ground for wildlife film makers!

Electronick · Mar 17, 2018

Yup, Gigrin farm has been well known in Nature Photog circles for many many years. If you went as a wildlife 'tog rather than just Joe-Public there used to be a special hide you could use there - the viewing slits in the hide where big enough to get 400/500/600mm lenses through, sadly something the Wildfowl & Wetlands & Wildlife Trusts never caught on to that fact and their hides are a often a nightmare to use

Graham Degg · Mar 17, 2018

I remember with huge fondness a family walking holiday in Wales back in the 70's. Back then I recall there were only about 25 breeding pairs left in the UK and I think we saw them all on one walk. Unlike many BoPs, Red kites happily scavenge in large groups I guess like vultures. I now work in Marlow and the place is packed with them - even in the town centre and commercial estates!

NorthernCanadian · Mar 17, 2018

This is minor compared to a bird, but on several occasions my drone has been swarmed by dragon flies. Is it the sound of the drone? Anyhow, they eat a lot of bad bugs, and I hate to think I'm bumping them off at times.