'What if the bird didn't want this?': "Wholesome" bird owner builds custom drone so bird could fly again, sparking debate over whether good intentions are good enough

Blake Seidel • Managing Editor & Brand Manager

Jun 29, 2026 8:15 AM EDT

Sure, the bird is up in the sky again. But if you think the bird feels the same joy from flying as it does from being flown around in a plastic bottle attached to a drone, buzzing in its ears, trapped in a container that probably overheats due to the lack of airflow and the battery from the drone… you're just lying to yourself.

We love wholesome animal stories. It's literally our job. We love the rescues, the doggos who get fitted into wheelchairs so they can run again, and the puppies who get saved and grow up with a loving family. But at a certain point, you have to stop and ask yourself, was the purpose of this really to help the animal in need? Most times, the answer is yes. The abandoned dog is living a better life after being rescued and adopted into a family. The baby deer gets released back into the wild after it heals. But this story… this is different.

The video from @kirawontmiss's X page shows a bird flying in a custom-built drone cabin. With the bird unable to fly naturally anymore, many online are touting this video as "incredibly wholesome" and restoring their faith in humanity. We feel differently.

Take a second and think about it. Do you really think the bird enjoys the loud buzzing of the drone constantly so close to its face (keep in mind, it has no concept of what a drone is)? Do you think it's comfortable in that tiny plastic bottle with barely any airflow? Quite literally strapped next to the working battery of the drone? Do you think it sees clearly through the plastic cabin, the same way it does when soaring in the sky? The answer to all of these questions is simple: no.

We're hope this owner had good intentions, but we think they did this knowing it would go viral online because it was very clickable and "noble". In reality, though, it is not noble and is probably causing the bird a lot of distress. Good intentions, in this case, are not good enough, especially when it comes at the cost of an animal's well-being.

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via @kirawontmiss
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via @techzha
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via @AvaFromEngland
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via @wavu_is_active
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via @TheRabbitPy
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via @TheDadspective
They're starting to get it. Finally, someone with critical thinking skills.
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via @0v0Steppa69
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via @helloyellotnd
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via @pierrepierrezxc
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via @bamcee0
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via @dca14dp
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via @Itswambuaa
Exactly. Did anyone ever stop to consider how the bird might perceive this “wholesome” action?
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via @noname1029645
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via @Anfronee1
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via @DougDugless
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via @jdaley5487
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via @TonyColdWine
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via @Alaska0420