Orlando, FL - A holiday drone show at Lake Eola Park in Orlando turned hazardous when multiple drones malfunctioned, colliding mid-air and plummeting into the audience, resulting in injuries.
Among the injured was a 7-year-old boy who sustained serious injuries, including a facial wound, and required emergency heart surgery.
The incident occurred during a 6:30 p.m. performance orchestrated by Sky Elements Drones in collaboration with the City of Orlando.
Eyewitnesses reported that the drones began to deviate from their coordinated formations, descending rapidly toward the crowd.
Disturbing footage shared on social media captures the moment drones fell, eliciting shock and fear among spectators.
In response to the malfunction, the City of Orlando canceled the subsequent 8 p.m. show, citing technical difficulties on X "Due to technical difficulties the 8 p.m. Holiday Drone Show at Lake Eola has been canceled. We apologize for any inconvenience."
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has initiated an investigation to determine the cause of the malfunction.
City officials have stated they are in contact with the vendor to assess the situation.
As the investigation unfolds, questions regarding the safety protocols of drone shows and the measures in place to protect audiences are expected to be scrutinized.
The FAA's findings will be crucial in understanding what led to this incident and in preventing similar occurrences in the future.