09/15/2026
🥹
After a cat attack left his beloved lovebird unable to move or fly normally, one pet owner in the Philippines came up with an extraordinary way to let her experience the sky again. 🐦💛
Marc Joseph Colando, from Davao, Philippines, is the owner of a lovebird named Nitya, whom he describes as being like his "second heartbeat."
Nitya survived a serious attack by a cat, but the injuries left lasting damage. According to Colando, she lost normal coordination in her feet and could no longer properly stand, walk or safely land after flying.
She could still manage limited, low flights, but without being able to land normally, allowing her to fly freely carried an obvious risk.
Colando wanted her to experience something closer to the freedom she'd once had.
Then, he says, an idea came to him while meditating one morning.
What if Nitya didn't have to power the flight herself?
Colando adapted a drone by adding a small transparent cabin for his bird. The clear enclosure allowed Nitya to see the world around her while the drone provided the lift and controlled landing that her injured body could no longer reliably manage.
Footage of the unusual invention shows Nitya sitting inside the transparent compartment as the drone rises into the air, carries her above the ground and eventually descends again.
Colando said he carefully tested the setup and watched Nitya's behavior to make sure she wasn't frightened or distressed. Reports describing the flights say the little bird appeared comfortable and could be heard vocalizing during her trips through the air.
It's worth making an important distinction: the drone hasn't restored Nitya's physical ability to fly normally. Her mobility remains limited.
What Colando created instead is a form of enrichment—an inventive way for an injured bird to safely experience the sights, movement and elevation of being in the air again.
The story subsequently traveled far beyond Davao, with footage of Nitya's tiny "aircraft" spreading internationally in 2026.
Sometimes caring for an animal means accepting what it can no longer do.
And sometimes it means looking at those limitations and asking:
"Is there another way?" 🐦☁️
For Nitya, her owner found one.
Sources: PEOPLE; Newsflare footage and reporting; MVS Noticias; additional reporting on Marc Joseph Colando and Nitya.