Drones and Birds: Why Safety Matters in Aerial Construction Photography
August 21, 2025 - 2 minutes readWhen most people see a polished aerial shot of a future development site, they do not think about what it took to capture it. Behind the scenes, operating drones around construction sites comes with challenges, and one of the biggest is dealing with birds.
Recently, during a flight, one of our drones was struck by a bird mid-air. It was a sharp reminder of the importance of safety planning when working at height, especially in environments where nature and technology overlap.
Why Bird Strikes Are a Real Risk
Birds see drones as intruders in their airspace. Seagulls, magpies, and even eagles have been known to attack drones. For construction projects, this creates potential risks, not only to equipment but also to site safety and project timelines.
How We Manage Risk
At Visual Spaces, safety is never an afterthought. We take measures before, during, and after each flight to ensure reliability for our clients:
- Pre-Flight Assessments – Checking bird activity around the site before launching.
- Backup Equipment – Having multiple drones available so work can continue if one goes down.
- Insurance and Contingency Planning – Protecting both equipment and client outcomes.
- Experienced Piloting – Flying with awareness of bird patterns and knowing when to abort safely.
Why This Matters for Developers and Architects
When you commission drone view photography or aerial progress documentation, you are trusting that the content will be delivered accurately, on time, and safely. Understanding the realities of drone operations, like managing wildlife, highlights the difference between working with a professional operator and a casual flyer.
At Visual Spaces, we combine accuracy, experience, and planning so that unexpected challenges do not affect your project outcomes.
