The parents of a 7-year-old Florida boy who was hurt when drones collided and dropped into a crowd during a holiday airshow revealed that their son had to undergo open heart surgery.
Alexander’s parents, Adriana Edgerton and Jessica Lumsden, shared that one of the illuminated drones hit him, causing a chest injury that knocked him unconscious upon impact, as per a report by Fox Orlando.
Reports from the event at Lake Eola Park in downtown Orlando described how hundreds of drones, part of a Saturday night aerial light display, could be seen moving into place, but some suddenly began to plummet to the ground, as captured in videos shared online.
Several drones malfunctioned during a drone show in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, sending the unmanned aerial objects crashing to the ground. (Credit – X/MosquitoCoFL)
It was not clear what led to the drone difficulties.
The vendor for the drone show, Sky Elements Drones, told the news outlet it wanted to extend “our sincere hope for the full and speedy recovery to those impacted” at the show.
“The well-being of our audience is of the upmost priority, and we regret any distress or inconvenience caused,” the company said. “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.”
Several drones malfunctioned during a drone show in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, sending the unmanned aerial objects crashing to the ground. (Credit – X/MosquitoCoFL)
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating the malfunction.
Drone arrays and light shows are subject to FAA regulations and typically require a waiver to a regulation that prohibits operating more than one drone at a time, the agency said.
Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner contributed to this report.
