News drone attacked by swarm of... drones

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CBS12 News Crew Attacked By Bees During Palm Beach Mall Demolition Report:

It all started when CBS12 News operations manager Carl Pugliese launched a drone camera to get an aerial shot of a backhoe taking the old Sears apart. The drone is a large dinner-plate sized device with four helicopter-like rotors and two cameras, all operated by remote control via iPhone or iPad.

About a minute into the flight, you can see the assault begin. First one attacker zips by the camera. Then another. Then the whole swarm.

Pugliese said the drone began having trouble flying, but he wasn't sure why. At the same time, he says a "strange bug" kept pestering him, getting in his hair and buzzing him. Meanwhile, Pugliese was able to maneuver the drone closer so he could see what was wrong with it. Bad move.

Angry bees became a cloud around the drone and also began attacking Pugliese and CBS12 cameraman Chad Ellison, whom Pugliese captured dancing and swatting frantically to avoid being stung. Didn't help. Both of them took several stings. Pugliese himself can be seen toward the end of the drone video, diving into his SUV to avoid the swarm. Unfortunately for him some tagged along inside, and he is seen trying to fling them out. He landed the drone from inside the car.

The drone took several stings as well, with the stingers still embedded in its foam fuselage. The whole thing was covered in what Pugliese termed "bee goo."

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Comments

  • I see a market- killer bee irradication service.  We chop em and stop em.

  • R.D.  Those are hornets, and they're not bros.  Bee's are bros.

  • MR60

    This is why drones should not be put in all hands : poor bees. Hope this guy destroyed his copter during this massacre.

  • A Parrot AR attacked by bees.

    If they had a serious aircraft, they could have pretty much chopped up the swarm.

    Like the fellow did with his heli...

     

    Man vs Nature - another chapter

    -=Doug

  • It happened to me too but not quite as many. http://youtu.be/itoQ0UkaDwU

  • Developer

    Wow, some news drone...

  • Presumably those were FAA enforcement bees. Don't suppose he had a COA.
  • Hahaha Thanks for sharing the story I got some good laughs while reading!

    Editor of DroneCafe - The Daily Cup 

    Joshua Johnson

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