The news media loves to write horror stories about drones at airports but here is the other side of the coin. When a large flock if quite big gulls took residence at the Tokoroa Airfield on Saturday, a drone was used to drive them away — thus significantly lowering the risk to both the birds and any aircraft that may have visited. Not all “drone seen at airport” stories are bad-news. And just to confirm, *NO* gulls or other wildlife was harmed in the making of this video.
Time to offer drone services at an airport near you!
And just a huge load of fun.
Bruce check out this fake news article.
Now I just wish I cooed get a job at the airport doing this all day! Grate work and cheers 🍻
I didn’t see any birds being harmed in the making of this video.
No Bruce, it’s those damb Cockatoos. Ever see a C. feast on an aircraft tire? It’s not nice, and expensive.
Oh, I get it! Small 12-guage shotguns should be mounted on drones. But, um, the recoil could flip ’em. Hmm. We just need bigger drones. Northrup has a dandy model costing just $45,000 which weighs 120 lbs. Problem solved.
Just register all birds, and arrest any birds which don’t wear their registration numbers clearly outside their battery compartments…
Sir Bruce Eco Warrior and saviour of manned aviation !! Now if the gulls were registered it wouldn’t be a problem :p
Forget just how good you have become as a pilot of those four bladed props Bruce.
When I was on holiday in Portugal every time I put my drone up in the air. Seagulls came from everywhere to attack my poor drone… it was as if it was their airspace and I had to get out the way or they would take my drone out… crazy things… kiwi gulls are obviously a lot more polite 😂
A very sensible explanation to stop people from shooting aircraft out of FAA airspace.
put a compressed air horn on it
Like a runway sweep in a conventional vehicle..
Kiwi’s are an innovative bunch, wonder how the resonant fuel cell tech is coming along over there
I can see schools using these for shoo’ing away the dreaded magpie attacks around September. Councils could even utilise them for moving/discouraging flying fox populations away from built up areas. Or for discouraging pest species away from sensitive areas. Can nearly see the postal service using them for mail delivery:) dogs will have a new best enemy:)
Could a drone utilise a ground tether system to harvest atmospheric electric charge variation? And if so, how many joules are up for grabs?
No propellors were bent or broken in this video, well done !
Drones should be required at all commercial airfields for safety
The amazing thing is that, even when birds are panicked, they rarely collide with one-another.
It’s high time for DJI and others to develop anti-collision equipment of similar capability for their drones!
Why scare girls away gulls yes but aren’t the girls welcome
EXCELLENT! but also sad, that simple common sense to fix a common problem has to be explained more and more..
A flock of seagulls – that would be a good name for a band.
The birds will get used to it ,of course. At Maori Bay (near Muriwai) you can see seabirds soaring above the cliffs alongside RC gliders.And at airports the presence of 100 tonne + aircraft doesn’t bother the birds.
Choice!