In Australia, It Seems To Come Naturally

The French Military is training four Golden Eagles to attack drones in flight as a way to defend against potential spying or attacks from the unmanned aircraft.

Environews.tv reports that the idea came after several drones were flown over the French Presidential Palace. But they were not the first to consider such a plan. The Dutch National Police recently released a video showing an eagle taking down a DJI drone. That bird was trained by a company that is specializing in teaching birds of prey to attack unmanned aircraft.

How do they do it? The eagles were hatched and reared on top of drone wreckage, which experts say made the birds think of the aircraft as prey. They were then trained to attack the drones, and when they were successful, they were given meat which they ate off the back of the aircraft.

The French military is working on protective gear to shield the birds, such as Kevlar and leather mittens to protect their talons. A second batch of eggs has been ordered by the French armed forces, according to the Agence France-Presse.

On the other side of the planet, eagles attacking drones seems to be more instinctive. The Australian Broadcasting Company reports that back in May, a farmer was using a drone to check on a piece of planting equipment when a wedge-tailed eagle attacked the $80,000 aircraft and knocked it to the ground, leaving it badly damaged.

The farmer, Leigh Naim, said that the eagle must have mistaken the drone for another bird it its territory, and swooped down from above to attack it.

Naim is also an agronomist, and he said he uses his drone to check on emerging crops. But it would appear that, at least Down Under, UAVs have a natural predator.

(Image from Leigh Naim's drone during attack)

FMI: Original Report, Original Report