Nearly a month after a holiday drone show at Lake Eola in downtown Orlando turned dangerous, injuring a young boy, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has issued its preliminary findings on the incident. The Dec. 21 event, operated by Sky Elements Drone Shows, was cut short when several drones collided mid-air and fell into the audience below.
Details of the Incident
During the first of two scheduled shows, an error in the drones’ flight path caused some to crash into each other. One of the falling drones struck a 7-year-old boy in the crowd, resulting in severe injuries that required emergency open-heart surgery. Fortunately, the boy has since been discharged from the hospital and is recovering.
The incident prompted the cancellation of several planned drone shows across Central Florida, including one scheduled at the Orlando World Center Marriott during the last week of December.
Findings from the NTSB Report
The NTSB’s preliminary report highlights multiple issues that contributed to the mishap:
- Flight Path Misalignment: A 7-degree rotation in the launch file caused drones to operate outside the intended boundaries.
- Software and Timing Issues: Operators were troubleshooting software problems just minutes before the show began, leaving little room to address potential errors.
- Geo Hard Fence Settings: The distance between the drones and the audience exceeded the company’s safety standards, heightening the risk of accidents.
Safety Recommendations
The NTSB has suggested three key measures to prevent similar incidents in the future:
- Allocate more preparation time on-site to ensure all systems are functioning properly.
- Implement an on-call verification system requiring a chief pilot or second-in-command to confirm pre-show protocols.
- Provide additional training for all remote pilots in command.
Next Steps
The NTSB has stated that the investigation is ongoing and will release further updates as they become available.
The mishap has sparked discussions about the safety protocols of drone shows, particularly in public spaces. As the use of drones in entertainment grows, so does the need for rigorous oversight and enhanced training for operators.
In the meantime, a GoFundMe page to support the injured boy and his family has raised over $36,000 as of January and reported on Dec. 23 that he is out of surgery.
Stay tuned for updates as the investigation unfolds.