You’ve probably guessed since I didn’t start with a title like “Found it!” that I did not, in fact, find it. You would be correct.
After a brief uncomfortable interaction with a semi truck driver who needed me out of his way, I again came to the shore of the marsh for another pass across the water.
The good news is, my little DJI Mini came home with me again. No goose attacks for me, yet.
Bad news? I don’t see any submerged drone in this footage either. I almost think I spotted something in the last video but I didn’t spend long enough over that spot to be sure, so I’ve got some areas to focus on when I go back.
I’ve been trying to help a friend find something that was lost lately. This particular lost thing is a Mavic Mini 2. He didn’t simply misplace it, it isn’t a case of absent mindedness, nothing like that. No, the drone was in fact attacked by a goose.
Normally if your DJI drone was brutally knocked out of the air by a goose this wouldn’t be a big deal, at least if you’re smart and got the care plan from DJI. The catch is, you’ve got to be able to return the drone. That’s where it got tricky.
The moment at which this drone was attacked, it was surveying a local beaver lodge. That’s not a euphamism, as you’ll see in the videos attached. I’m talking about a legit beaver lodge.
pass number one
Now, if you’ve watched the video I think you’ll agree the goose attack isn’t particularly surprising. That does appear to be a canada goose nesting on top of the beaver lodge.
Unfortunately, you’ll also notice we’re not seeing any clearly identifiable grey X in the water. On the upside, despite catching some definite attention from the geese they did not decide to take flight and pummel my drone, the slightly older DJI Mini, into the same water leaving it to the same watery fate.
The plan was to return the next day for hopefully clearer waters. Part of that plan was fulfilled, but for now this saga continues…
This is not a complete list, yet, but is a compiling of the rules of how this place works expanding as I learn them.
1. If you lose a thing and can’t find it for several weeks, you will find it shortly after you purchase a new one. (Pro tip: keep packaging and receipts. Toss the packaging as a last resort if it hasn’t shown up)
2. Rain loves two wheeled and uncovered vehicles. If you want it to rain, ride a bicycle or motorcycle to work. If you prefer dry weather and you own a convertible, leave the top up.
3. If you plan ahead for time off, you’ll probably end up sick. This is doubly true if you plan ahead to fake a sick day because you didn’t plan further ahead for regular time off. If you want healthy time off, surprise yourself.
4. Planning your day brings chaos, but if you don’t plan your day you’ll never know the difference. For best results, plan just enough to get all the important bits lined up, then just wing it.