Eagle wins air battle against drone

ESCANABA, Mich. – An eagle attacked a state agency’s research drone above the Lake Michigan shoreline, ripped off the propeller, and sent the drone to Davy Jones’ Locker. The incident was July 21 but not reported immediately by the department for 3-1/2 weeks. The eagle may have perceived territorial squabble or may just have been hungry and mistaken the drone for a seagull delicacy, the state agency said. Telemetric data showed the attacked occurred 162 feet in the air. The drone was flying 22 mph, but suddenly, the  propeller gone, it plummeted into the water. Data showed impact 150 feet offshore. Although the water was only four feet deep, the bottom was so mucky that a snorkeler gave up a recovery attempt after rwo days. The pilot was at his video controls on shore less than half a mile away when he realized the craft was sputtering. He looked up and saw an eagle flying off. A couple who witnessed the event said they saw the eagle strike an object in the air, though they didn’t know then it was a drone. The eagle looked unharmed as it flew away, they said.