Drones fall from sky during Orlando holiday light show, leaving young boy hospitalized
A Florida holiday drone show took a tragic turn when more than a dozen of the aircrafts fell from the sky, leaving a child injured, federal officials said.
The apparent mishap took place Saturday night in Lake Eola Park in downtown Orlando, the Federal Aviation Administration confirmed to Paste BN.
About 6:45 p.m., the "drones collided," the FAA reported, and fell into a crowd during the show.
Two performances were scheduled that day, the second of which was canceled due to "technical difficulties," the City of Orlando posted on Facebook.
Video shows green and red drones drop one by one
A video posted on X by one user shows hundreds of lit green and red drones in a pattern in the sky before several begin dropping one by one.
Who was injured in the Orlando drone light show?
The Orlando Fire Department reported one person was injured during the event and taken to a hospital, Florida Today, part of the Paste BN Network, reported.
The victim's mother said the drone hit her 7-year-old son in the chest with such force he had to undergo heart surgery, local media including Fox 35 and WESH-TV reported. A blade also cut his mouth, she said.
FAA rules for drone shows
According to the FAA, drone arrays and light shows are subject to FAA regulations and typically require a waiver of a regulation that prohibits operating more than one drone at a time.
"We thoroughly review each drone show application to make sure the flying public and people on the ground will be safe," an FAA spokesperson said. The agency also reviews other items including:
◾ Software controlling the drones.
◾ Procedures for setting up restricted areas to keep people at a safe distance from the show.
◾ Procedures in the event any drones malfunction.
◾ Procedures if an aircraft gets too close to the show.
◾ Whether operators have an adequate number of people to run the show.
FAA investigating cause of the drone mishap
The FAA said it is investigating what caused the drones to apparently malfunction.
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for Paste BN. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.