On a recent trip to the Andamans, I visited the tiny and sleepy Ross island, a tourist spot that only has dilapidated structures now—remnants of the British era. The island, an info board says, proved to be a blessing when it bore the brunt of the 2004 tsunami and shielded the town of Port Blair from unprecedented damage. I could sight peacocks, deers, sparrows and colourful bulbul birds while strolling around.
As I descended a flight of steps and walked towards the turquoise beach from where one gets a long-shot view of the picturesque Mount Harriet—printed on the backside of a series of `20 notes—I stumbled upon two men meddling with a joystick-like contraption. They sat on the floor and tried to set up a gizmo.
On closer look, I realised it was a drone camera. Shortly, the gadget started its ascent with miniature fans fitted on its four arms whirring and whirling. The drone flew above the sea, steadily climbed in altitude and became a tiny speck. One of the youngsters said the device cost a lakh and could cover a range of five kilometres.
As I watched the technological bird in wonder, an unexpected thing happened.
An eagle appeared on the horizon and circled over the sea. It flew towards the drone thinking it was a bird that it could prey upon. The men who remote-controlled the drone panicked and tried to change its course. But the eagle would not let go off its target.
It went well above the drone and descended towards it with scientific precision and aggression. It was about to claw the drone in one swoop going very close to it but took a detour at the last minute. Probably one of the fans brushed the eagle and turned it away. The guys thought the worst was over.
But it was not to be. The eagle returned with a vengeance and was again within striking distance of the drone. “If the eagle tinkers with the gadget, the drone will lose control and a lakh might go down the Bay of Bengal,” lamented the youngsters. They frantically manoeuvred the remote, trying to save it from the predatory avian. They finally managed to bring it back to their safe hands and heaved a sigh of relief.
“When the mighty eagle dares, our tiny drone can’t challenge it,” said the men who began to pack their kit and beat a hasty retreat.