Wedge-tailed eagles do battle with mining giant's drones, knocking nine out of sky. Eagles and drones have been battling for the skies above Western Australia.
Currently it’s the birds of prey that are winning after taking out nine of the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV).
The Trimble UX5 drones belong to mining company Gold Fields, which has been using them to survey St Ives since 2014.
The wedge-tailed eagle has a two metre wingspan and is a protected species.
Ten UAVs have been lost since South Africa's Gold Fields, the world's seventh-biggest gold producer, began operating the Trimble UX5 systems at its St Ives operations near Kambalda.
One crashed as a result of human error, while nine have been taken down by wedge-tailed eagles, which are known to have wingspans more than twice that of the 1-metre-wide UAVs.
The UAVs are constructed from foam and carbon fibre, and fly at an altitude of about 125 metres, reaching speeds of up to 92km/h.
Photo: This photo was taken by an eagle that had hold of a UAV as another eagle was coming in to attack. Credit: Rick Steven
Source
Currently it’s the birds of prey that are winning after taking out nine of the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV).
The Trimble UX5 drones belong to mining company Gold Fields, which has been using them to survey St Ives since 2014.
The wedge-tailed eagle has a two metre wingspan and is a protected species.
Ten UAVs have been lost since South Africa's Gold Fields, the world's seventh-biggest gold producer, began operating the Trimble UX5 systems at its St Ives operations near Kambalda.
One crashed as a result of human error, while nine have been taken down by wedge-tailed eagles, which are known to have wingspans more than twice that of the 1-metre-wide UAVs.
The UAVs are constructed from foam and carbon fibre, and fly at an altitude of about 125 metres, reaching speeds of up to 92km/h.
Photo: This photo was taken by an eagle that had hold of a UAV as another eagle was coming in to attack. Credit: Rick Steven
Source
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Blessed Mother Nature!!!
A'Ho!!!
What are the drones used for?
Warriors !!!
Go Eagles, and I don't mean the sports team!
One for the eagles
Or should I just say NINE for the eagles?
well if you make it look like a bird! what do you expect?? it's called protecting it's area
Painting your drone to look like a bird was probably not the smartest idea when invading the territory of a bird with a 6 foot Wong span.
Considero que si el avance de la ciencia con los drones y cámaras, invaden la intimidad, la seguridad y el entorno de la privacidad, deben acudir a que sean atrapados, destruidos y si las águilas, cuervos, arpías son los indicados adelante.
Yes Eagles....No Drones
KARMA! Thank you Mother Nature!
AND SO IT BEGINS !!!
Ancestoral Spirits guarding Sacred Space...
Gotta love Our Mother!!
maybe if they did not paint them to look like a bird they would have more luck, eagles do not like to have their space invaded.
wonderful..... drones zero eagles 9
Damn I love Eagles!!!!
Wish we could get some of these eagles to take down USA's predator drones over in the middle east!
Hooray for nature!!!
This is awesome..I write about eagles for young kids and will remember this...
BJ Rae, Author Near A River
http://www.nearariver.com/learn-to-succeed-no-matter-what/
It does look like a bird but so what? Poor eagle must know that a mining company will rip up the land they call home. Go eagle.
Nature over machines!! Go eagles!!
Good!
Thank you to the Brave Eagles. Nature rules!
Just keep guarding the eagles! Don't take them out to protect your drones!
So.... was that noise at the end the eagle? Did it get hurt? Does the company care...
They should equip the drones with missles, because if the drone is on a peaceful, or humanitarian mission, then the eagles need to leave it the hell alone. Drone with missles could perhaps just fire one at an eagle, just to scare it away. Seriously, think about it people. A person/s is lost, or stuck up in the mountains somewhere, or the outback or wherever, they need help, and nobody can locate them. That's where the drone comes in. All you animal lovers do not understand. Animals were created for the use of human beings, not the other way around. When animals die, that's it for them, there is no animal heaven where they can go if they were a good little doggie or kitty. Only human beings matter. Though i am not sayin that's a good reason to go out and torture them, because that kinda thing is wrong from any perspective. But when your country spends all these thousands of dollars on drones for specific reasons, whether it be humanitarian or nature-related, or trying to find the wreckage from a downed plane to check for survivors, what if the eagles attack them then huh? You people need to seriously think about what you're saying before you just start spouting all this animal-loving rhetoric. You dig?
THE MINING COMPANY WILL END UP DELIBERATELY KILLING ALL OF THE EAGLES. YOU JUST WATCH. NATURE TAKES LAST PLACE WHEN MONEY IS TO BE MADE. DAMN THE HUMANS. DRONES... NOTHING BUT BAD AND WHO IS TO FIGHT THEM AND RID US OF THEM. MORE TRASH UP THERE. SPYING EYES IN THE SKY... ANYWHERE, ANYONE... ANY TIME. AND DISRUPTIVE OF PLANE CONTROL TOWERS.
Well done eagles, continue protecting your air space and hunting area against all invaders.
AHoooo!!!!
Mvto!!
This is only the beginning.
Gold mining, why are they using drones? go eagles i say your invading their airspace
A bit dumb to make the UAV look like a bird and increasing the chance of attack.
Looks like an invasion of Eagle space to me. Very interesting post. They are taking out the invaders....
get out of my sky
To the person who said "Animals are for human use", you have the compassion of a gnat. But consider that 10 drones have been invading these eagle's territory and how many people have gone missing in that time. Time for you to get your head out of your bible and start looking at the planet that gives you life. Not as in food but as in the air, water, usable land and for all the animals that call this home, not just you.
Those drones were not on a rescue mission...they belonged to a mining company anxiously looking forward to ripping up our planet. I salute you, EAGLES !!! <3
Oh yes...majestic ....good move eagles
Awesome. Big love to EAGLES.
And miners - we're watching.
These beautiful birds are protected. If they go missing - you'll have hell to pay.
From my point of view the company is getting what it deserves for the fake covering on the drones. If it is going to cover them it should be in red the way Nature uses it for warning don't eat me. Eagles have extremely sharp vision and they certainly are not fooling any of the eagles with the getup.
To the 2 that said 'animals for human use'. And 'head out of the Bible'. the Bible soundly condemns harming or neglecting animals in any way, shape or form. Bible teaches animals were to be treated with respect & compassion. Given proper rest, food, etc. In over 5 books of the Bible in both the OT & NT. FYI. Those drones are not for humanitarian use. Gold mining is one of the most destructive industries in the world. It can displace communities, contaminate drinking water, hurt workers, and destroy pristine environments. It pollutes water and land with mercury and cyanide, endangering the health of people and ecosystems. And those drones were invading eagle territory. It is a great shame that Gold Fields has done so much harm to the communities in their areas of operation. More than 10,000 people harmed by them. Community leaders say the mining company has taken their homes and farms, polluted their water, and broken promises to provide jobs, schools and other facilities. Such reports come from not just one country. Greed is the mining companies mantra. Nothing more.
It's been the eagles' sky first, since the 'beginning of time', or at least since the very first eagle. The drones are mere unwanted visitors in the eagles' sky. If the gold minors don't want the added expense from losing the drones, then don't use the drones.....and, while you are at it, STOP mining for gold!