Eagle Knocks Drone Out Of Sky: ‘Eagle – 1, Drone – 0’ YouTube Video Gets 2.5 Million Views [Video]
There’s a new YouTube video showing an approximately six-foot-wide, wedge-tailed eagle taking down a drone right out of the sky. Only 15 seconds long, the video has commanded more than 2.5 million views on YouTube since it was uploaded on August 8.
The drone is simply flying along in the beginning of the viral video, but before long the eagle comes into view. Soon enough, the large wingspan and talons of the eagle can be clearly seen as it flies straight into the drone and takes it down. According to the YouTube title, the eagle survived its run-in with the drone.
“Watch it Punch it out of the sky – Australia (Eagle is Fine)”
There’s also a slow-motion video that’s gaining plenty of views on YouTube as well. In that version, it’s clear that this is not a game of chicken gone wrong. The eagle seems to intentionally fly straight toward the drone and take it out with its talons.
The YouTube user promises future videos on the Melbourne Aerial Video YouTube channel that will reveal any damage done to the drone by the eagle and how the whole incident happened in the first place. Questions about the drone-eagle run-in are welcomed by the YouTube channel, and folks are certainly putting their two cents in about the event in the comments section on YouTube.
The drone and eagle survived, reports ABC News, with Adam Lancaster updating folks on how much it took to fix his drone and how the eagle reacted after the talon punch.
“[The drone] survived, but I need $100 in parts to get it going again. [The] eagle was fine – she was massive, and used talons to ‘punch’ the drone out of the sky. [The eagle] hung around overhead so I got a really good look. Eagle’s health was my main concern also.”
The eagle was flying along at full speed, and the drone gave viewers an up close and personal look at her beauty.
“This is the last thing a small bird sees when a Wedge-Tailed Eagle decides that you are dinner… Do not fly drones near birds of prey, they clearly attack seeing you as a threat or the right sized dinner. This will cost you money and potentially harm to the bird. This one was fine.. the drone needed some attention before it could fly again.”
Lancaster also offered advice to those considering flying drones near eagles.
“If you see a bird of prey while flying. Land. I have added this to my operating procedure.”
As reported by the Inquisitr, a drone purportedly hit a Southwest Airlines plane, but that was uncovered to be a fake video.
[Image via YouTube]
