Drone Crashes into CHILDEREN! injuring 6

[Vettster]

This was posted on the Weather Network today..
https://www.theweathernetwork.com/ca.../5636122205001

[Machzx]

just proves no such thing as free candy

[-Rick-]

The drone died. Under a blanket.

[OldPrairieRedNeck]

"Scratches to necks and shoulders."... No body bags... good thing of course but any object dropping from that height into a crowd is going to inflict scratches and maybe some bruising.

Here is a debate subject:

What is better? Doing candy drops with a drone at zero forward velocity if something goes wrong and high chance of hitting the kids or with an airplane with it's forward momentum but a very slim chance that it would hit the kids in the event of failure?

Ya ya I hear the rising "keep the kids off the field until the candy hits the ground" crescendo from the safety gurus! Sure - I have watched candy drops done that way. Just toss the candy on the ground in the parking lot if you are going that route. Then it won't interrupt the flying and is just as exciting for the kids!

[Vettster]

"Scratches to necks and shoulders."... No body bags... good thing of course but any object dropping from that height into a crowd is going to inflict scratches and maybe some bruising.

Here is a debate subject:

What is better? Doing candy drops with a drone at zero forward velocity if something goes wrong and high chance of hitting the kids or with an airplane with it's forward momentum but a very slim chance that it would hit the kids in the event of failure?

Ya ya I hear the rising "keep the kids off the field until the candy hits the ground" crescendo from the safety gurus! Sure - I have watched candy drops done that way. Just toss the candy on the ground in the parking lot if you are going that route. Then it won't interrupt the flying and is just as exciting for the kids!

I wonder if you would have the same attitude if it were YOUR kids were the ones that got hit.

FYI... Model airplanes DO NOT fly over the kids or anyone else for that matter cause we only hold events at MAAC sanctioned events on MAAC sanctioned fields, following MAAC SAFETY guidelines....unlike the Drone pilots that do what they want, When they want with no regards for public safety. If you know of a candy drop event where the kids are on the field during the fly over... then that club should have its certification yanked.

I guess it shouldn't surprise me that you don't care that children got hurt and that you would defend the drone pilot.

[itizme]

I didn't even see the cornflakes

[OldPrairieRedNeck]

I wonder if you would have the same attitude if it were YOUR kids were the ones that got hit.

FYI... Model airplanes DO NOT fly over the kids or anyone else for that matter cause we only hold events at MAAC sanctioned events on MAAC sanctioned fields, following MAAC SAFETY guidelines....unlike the Drone pilots that do what they want, When they want with no regards for public safety. If you know of a candy drop event where the kids are on the field during the fly over... then that club should have its certification yanked.

I guess it shouldn't surprise me that you don't care that children got hurt and that you would defend the drone pilot.

I was defending no one, just stating that the injuries were in line with what could be expected given the situation.

This is the closest I could find in the safety code on the subject at hand. Candy does not constitute an object that may endanger persons in my mind. Unless of course the kid is diabetic...

7. No member shall create a hazard by carrying in or dropping from a model aircraft any object that may endanger persons or property.

Please advise me if I missed something.

[carrid02]

We held the first IMAC drone event in the US last summer... maneuvers, judging, the whole works. I won intermediate even without a pilot and dash. Ya know, if Hilary had won, drones would be more free from regulation... I think they should be a protected/favored class in RC. Just my 2 cents.

-Craig

[dopey]

Hi,
Here is a picture that I took at a Christmas show last week.

You see those massive beautiful snowflakes floating over peoples heads... those are DRONES.....

One of them kinda got away a little bit too, on the far side... glad i wasn't over there as it seemed that a vapour was coming from the orbs.

And you aren't going to believe this Trevor, but I took the picture for you! (was thinking of you when these beasts warped into the venue..scary)
(I would have had more coverage of the dancers on stage, but didn't want any potential viewers to loose focus.)

[OldPrairieRedNeck]

About 14 years ago I volunteered at a MAAC sanctioned world class glider competition here in our province. There were about 50 of us including officials, timers, pilots and crews members from many different countries out on the field at any given time with fiberglass and carbon fiber competition ships zipping back and forth overhead all day long. Our MAAC rep was there too and didn't shut the event down. No one was injured, we all had an awesome time and went home with good memories!