pounder35 Loc: "Southeast of Disorder"

Thanks to member bcheary for the link


Where Eagles Dare: French military using winged warriors to hunt down rogue drones.
Published February 22, 2017


Following incidents of drones flying over the presidential palace and
restricted military sites along with the deadly 2015 Paris terror attacks the French air force has trained four golden eagles to intercept and destroy the rogue aircraft.

Aptly named d'Artagnan, Athos, Porthos and Aramis an homage to Alexandre DumasThe Three Musketeers the four birds of prey have been honing their attack skills
at the Mont-deMarsan in southwestern France since mid-2016.
drone means food for these birds,
Gerald Machoukow, the military base's falconer, told FRANCE
Now they automatically go after them.
The use of hunting birds - normally falcons and northern goshawks
by militaries around the globe is common practice in the fight to scare other critters away from runways and so cut the risk of accidents during take-off or
landing.

But it wasn't until 2015 when the Dutch started using bald eagles
to intercept drones that other militaries started to see the benefit
of these winged warriors.


The French bred the four golden eagles - three males and one female -
using artificial insemination since eagles are a protected species and harvesting wild eggs is strictly forbidden.


They chose the golden eagle because of the birds hooked beak and
sharp eyesight.
Also weighing in around 11 pounds, the birds are in a similar weight
class as the drones they're sent to destroy and clocking in at a top air
speed of 50 miles per hour,
with the capability of spotting its target from over a mile away, the
eagles are deft hunters.
To protect the eagles from drone blades and any explosive device
that might be attached the them, the French military designed mittens of leather and Kevlar, an anti-blast material, to protect the birds talons.

"I love these birds," Machoukow told Agence France-Presse.
"I don't want to send them to their death." The birds are first taught
to attack in a straight line before graduating to diving from heights.


Soon they'll be patrolling the skies over the Pyrenees Mountains in
southern France and could possibly be deployed at airports and
special events, such as political summits and soccer tournaments.


While an initial progress report on the eagles capabilities is due in
June, French officials say that the results are promising and the French air
force already expects four more eagles to join the fleet at Mont-de-Marsan by the
summer.

phcaan Loc: Willow Springs, MO

That is pretty cool, neat post.

pounder35 Loc: "Southeast of Disorder"

I have enough trouble avoiding trees and power lines. I damn sure don't need eagles chasing me down.

DOOK Loc: Maclean, Australia

I had a close encounter with an osprey once (I got a little too close to its nest--my fault). I got out of there quickly before push became shove. It only felt threatened & was not being aggressive for no reason, so the wise thing is to give the nests of large birds (especially birds of prey) plenty of space.

Earl.

pounder35 Loc: "Southeast of Disorder"

I've had a few close encounters with seagulls at the beach in Destin but they normally stay low getting scraps from tourists. They are very curious on take offs and landings so I normally start from a location off the beach and climb rapidly. The way I see it is it's their territory not mine. I did the same with animals in Colorado. I'm invading their space.

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

I wonder how they keep from getting hurt. Those drones will mess up a persons hands and fingers. I've seen the wrath of drone to a hand.

pounder35 Loc: "Southeast of Disorder"

The article mentioned something about Kevlar covers for the talons. You're right about the getting nicked by the props. I've had a few cuts. I've only done a few "hand landings" from a boat or beach where I don't want to land and have sand from the downdraft get into the motors.