Never smile at a crocodile - also don't fly your drone too close to one. Unfortunately, ABC News learned this lesson the hard way after one of its drones got snapped by a croc over in Darwin, Australia.
Discussing the attack, ABC cameraman Dane Hirst explains how he had been working on a documentary for the network titled Crocodile Territory.
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"I set the drone up over a small lagoon at Crocodylus Park, and all the crocs were really skittish," he said.
"But there was one crocodile in particular that was holding its ground and really eyeballing the drone.
"So I thought, great, I'll use this fellow, he's in a stationary spot. I can get some decent shots of him."
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Little did he realise that the saltwater reptile was ready to attack.
He continued: "I lined the drone up and moved over the top of him, and as I was doing that I looked up towards the lagoon and saw a crocodile vertical out of the water and heard the great clamping noise of a crocodile's jaws coming together.
"I looked down at my controller and it was a blank screen and no connection."
And just like that, the drone had gone.
This situation was made all the more stressful by the fact that the drone was brand new, leaving Hirst wondering how he was going to explain it to his boss.
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But it turns out luck was on their side, as two weeks later the equipment turned up on the bank of the lagoon where they had been filming - granted, with a few bite marks.
Amazingly, some clever technicians were able to retrieve the incredible footage, including the exact moment the croc attacked.
Speaking about the encounter, Crocodylus Park's Emily Broomham said: "We were going to have a look when we [drained] the lagoon... and we were all kind of joking and laughing about it wondering what kind of condition we would find it in..
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"Some cheeky croc had obviously found it on the bottom and thought they'd have a bit of a go at it again and they've dragged it up onto land for us which was awesome because it was just nice and easy to fetch out."
All's well that ends well - although certainly not something the team will want to repeat in a hurry, which is why the damaged drone now hangs in the ABC News crew room as a cautionary memento.
Featured Image Credit: ABCTopics: Drone, crocodile, Alligator, Australia