Bald eagle attacks government's shoreline-mapping drone, sends it to bottom of lake

In a rare incident, an Upper Peninsula bald eagle attacked a shoreline-mapping EGLE drone and sent it to the bottom of Lake Michigan. The drone, which was operated by a Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) pilot last month, was subjected to an airborne attack last month that destroyed its propeller.

As per the statement released by EGLE on August 13, the confrontation between the machine and the animal had taken place near Escanaba in Michigan's Upper Peninsula on July when department’s environmental quality analyst and drone pilot Hunter King was mapping shoreline erosion to be used in the agency's efforts in documenting and helping communities to cope with higher water levels.

The Phantom 4 Pro Advanced quadcopter was nearly at the height of 162ft when it is derived that the bird of prey attacked the machine apparently seeing it as an object of threat. As per the official statement, King was watching his video screen as the drone, which was beelined for home, suddenly started “twirling furiously”. He said, “It was like a really bad rollercoaster ride” only to realise later that the drone was nowhere to be found.

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The statement read, “King was watching his video screen as the drone beelined for home, but suddenly it began twirling furiously. "It was like a really bad rollercoaster ride," said King. When he looked up, the drone was gone, and an eagle was flying away.”

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How was it found in Lake Michigan?

A nearby couple had later confirmed that they spotted the eagle attacking the drone. Several hours of gruesome search after King arrived at the spot directed by the couple where the eagle had launched an attack, did they find the drone. It had hit the lake at 150 feet offshore in four feet of water. EGLE Unmanned Aircraft Systems coordinator Arthur Ostaszewski brought a kayak and snorkelling gear to the search the $950 worth drone. 

EGLE said, “With near-zero visibility in water darkened by tannin, Ostaszewski scrapped the snorkel and instead walked a grid pattern shuffling his feet for two hours in soft muck”.

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Image: Representative/Unsplash