ORLANDO, Fla. — A 7-year-old boy is recovering from heart surgery after his mother said a drone hit him during a holiday show at Lake Eola.
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Adriana Edgerton, told Channel 9 that her son Alezander had to undergo open heart surgery after he was hit by a falling drone Saturday evening.
In a text message, Edgerton told Channel 9 the boy is now in stable condition.
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However, according to Edgerton, the drone “electrocuted his heart,” and damaged one of the boy’s heart valves.
She told Channel 9 the injuries “Worse than expected. It was said the impact was like a bomb went off.”
As Alezander continues to recover, the National Transportation Safety Board announced that it is joining the Federal Aviation Administration in investigating the drone malfunction.
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Meanwhile, Channel 9 is learning more about the company that produced the drone show: Sky Elements.
According to a contract Channel 9 obtained, the city paid Sky Elements $75,000 to produce the holiday show using 500 drones.
That contract shows Sky Elements did maintain multiple kinds of liability insurance.
According to the city, the Holiday Drone Show was a permitted event through the FAA. It was in its third year drawing crowds of approximately 25,000. This is the city’s second year using the vendor, Sky Elements to operate the drones.
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According to Sky Elements’ website, the company follows several safety procedures.
The website said, “The drones are controlled by a central computer system that synchronizes their movements, ensuring they maintain a safe distance from one another.”
According to the website, the company also uses geofences to prevent drones from straying away from flight zones. Other safety protocols include safety inspections.
Channel 9 has reached out to Sky Elements regarding Saturday’s incident.
A spokesperson stated:
“Sky Elements Drones wants to extend our sincere hope for a full and speedy recovery to those impacted at our Lake Eola show in Orlando on Saturday, Dec. 21. The well-being of our audience is our utmost priority, and we regret any distress or inconvenience caused.
We are diligently working with the FAA and City of Orlando officials to determine the cause and are committed to establishing a clear picture of what transpired. Millions of people see our shows annually, and we are committed to maintaining the highest safety regulations set forth by the FAA.”
Meanwhile, FAA is investigating the exact cause of the incident and what caused the drones to malfunction.
The FAA said drone arrays and light shows are subject to FAA regulation. Typically, these events require a waiver of the regulation that prohibits operating more than one drone at a time.
According to the FAA each drone-show application is thoroughly reviewed to make sure the flying public and people on the ground will be safe.
A go-fund-me for Alezander is linked here.
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