The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) launched a probe on Monday after a drone fell and hit a child during a holiday show in Orlando, causing serious injuries.
The incident happened Saturday night during a performance in Lake Eola Park when several drones collided with each other and came crashing down, according to witnesses.
One of the drones hit a 7-year-old boy in the chest. He underwent open heart surgery after one of his heart valves was damaged.
Saturday’s performance was hosted by Sky Elements Drone Shows, a vendor based out of Fort Worth, Texas.
“Our thoughts are with the family and all those impacted by the outcome of this event,” the city of Orlando said in a statement. “The city remains in contact with the vendor and FAA who will conduct a thorough investigation.”
In an interview with a local media outlet, Adriana Edgerton revealed that her son Alexander was attending the show with the family when he was suddenly struck in the chest.
“Everyone’s natural instinct was to duck and scatter, and before we realized it, my daughter found my son on the floor unconscious. He had blood coming out of his face,” Edgerton said. “The blade cut his mouth, but there’s an actual imprint of the drone on his chest.”
That night, two performances were scheduled but the second show was canceled.
“Due to technical difficulties at 8 p.m. The Holiday Drone Show at Lake Eola has been cancelled. We apologize for any inconvenience,” the City of Orlando wrote in a post on Facebook.
Video of drones dropping from the sky circulated on social media over the weekend. One video showed a bright display of the drones in red and green patterns before several of them suddenly came crashing down. Some appeared to drop into the lake while others smashed into the ground, the video posted on X shows.
SkyElements Drone Shows is the “leading drone show light provider” in the United States, according to its website. Small performances can range from about $15,000 and much more for larger, more intricate shows.
Event organizers “work with insured drone show providers to mitigate risks and ensure the highest safety standards are met,” according to its website.
The performance in Orlando was permitted by the FAA. Such performances typically require a waiver to operate more than one drone at a time. SkyElements said that it operates in accordance with all FAA requirements and obtains airspace permission before each show. The company also said it conducts safety inspections beforehand to protect audiences and property.
NTD reached out to SkyElements for comment but did not receive a response.