JD750 Loc: SoCal

oh yeah don’t ever mow near a hive!

Good thought about protecting the hive. That could be it.

This is the first time it has happened but to get the photo I needed, I went higher up than what I have done in the past and I was hovering for a bit. Because of that maybe the sound reached a hive nearby.

ed3 Loc: Belton, MO

This is just a guess, but I suspect that you flew your drone into what we call a drone congregation area. In a hive we most likely have 50,000 to 60,000 thousand female bees known as worker bees, one queen (also female), and 1,000 to 2,000 drones (male bees). The only purpose of the males is to mate with virgin queens.
Bee drones fly to specific areas known as drone congregation areas from around noon till 3 or 4pm.

Then virgin queens will then fly out to these areas to mate with an average of 14 of drones; if successfully mated queens only do this one day maybe two days (in their lifetime) if she does not obtain enough sperm. While drone generally fly out to one of these areas (weather permitting) every day from spring to fall. I single drone doesn't live that length of time, so hives continue to produce drones to meet the need of virgin queens.

Interestingly, queens do not mate with the drones from their own hive.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

It's when they learn how to take control of the drone and turn it against us that we have to start worrying.

diclam Loc: Red Lake Falls, MN

I was a part-time beekeeper for over 30 years selling the honey and wax for a little extra cash. I had 200 colonies in 8 different "yards". I always liked to keep my yards well mowed so that the bees had easy access to their hives. Easy in, easy out equals more honey I always thought. I had a four cycle lawn mower that the bees tolerated better than the higher RPM 2 cycle mower. When I would start trimming with my gas trimmer they would get super-agitated and attack and try to sting anything or anyone. The bees would actually try to sting the spark plug wire on the engine. They also do not like any kind of electric fan. I think that it is the static electricity from these high speed motors that that upsets them.
Was it very cloudy or possibly a storm on the horizon the day that you were flying your drone? Static in the air from lightning can really agitate bees. If you would have had a strip of material or felt taped to your drone, it probably would have been full of stingers.

Canisdirus

That's an attack...move your drone...be aware of any bee colonies near where you fly.

wadp1

bdk Loc: Sanibel Fl.

Bees are finally making a comeback. Thats a good thing.
Killing them with a drone, not so good.
I have a mavik Mini , never had that problem
maybe you were just too close to a hive.
My suggestion is launch , say a mile away and see what happens.

dwmoar Loc: Oregon, Willamette Valley

I wonder why there isn't some sort of a grated cover over the props to help protect them from damage in the first place. Would also help keep the bees from being whacked by the blades

dwmoar Loc: Oregon, Willamette Valley

They are smart enough to not inbreed.