Wedge tailed eagles bring down drones in goldfields

The world’s seventh-biggest gold producer has lost more than nine drones because of eagle attacks. “People couldn’t believe I was able to get such a good photo of an eagle airborne,” complained surveyor Rick Steven at a conference sponsored by the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. “But I didn’t… Another eagle took that photo… I was getting attacked by two eagles simultaneously.” The specially-constructed drones carry a $10,000 camera for high-resolution photos and equipment that produces high-detail contour maps of potential mining areas, and so far the company estimates they’ve lost more than $100,000 worth of technology to eagle attacks. They’ve tried camouflage – including disguising the drones as another eagle – but unfortunately, according to Stevens, the eagle is the “natural enemy” of the drone.

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Youtube has many videos of eagles beating the proverbial out of drones :laughing:

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The drone in the photo appears to be disguised in a manner akin to a big Magpie so what do they expect. I would imagine that if it was a quadcopter then a couple of beat ups by the rotor blades and the Eagles might leave them alone - however if the rich dudes who own the mines are using them to monitor and keep the poor old local natives who have probably been fleeced out of their land and the minerals within then I am on the side of the locals so somebody start breeding Eagles quick!