Drone Crash in California Injures Baby

A drone crash injured a baby in Pasadena, prompting the FAA to step in to investigate.

On Sept. 12, a DJI Inspire 1 plummeted to the ground after its operator lost control, police said and the debris cut and bruised an 11-month-old girl. She was treated and released at an area hospital.

Police claim the unidentified pilot flew outside visual range, losing track of the drone. Although he was not charged by Pasadena Police, the incident was turned over to the FAA’s Field Standards District Office.

FAA spokesman Ian Gregor told the Pasadena Star-News that the incident illustrated a growing trend of careless flying. “The FAA is concerned with the growing number of reports about unsafe operations and is stepping up both its education and enforcement efforts,” he said. “Anyone who flies carelessly or recklessly can face fines from $1,000 to $25,000, depending on the seriousness of the violation.”

The official added that the FAA has opened more than 20 cases involving similar incidents and is expected to levy serious fines in most cases.

While the vast majority of drone pilots obey the law and observe safety rules, the few cases of “jackassery” continue to receive the lion’s share of media attention.

This past month, a New York teacher was arrested for allegedly crashing a drone into an empty section of seats at the US Open tennis tournament. Police charged Daniel Verley, 26, with reckless endangerment and operating a drone in a New York City public park outside of a prescribed area. The drone reportedly buzzed over the court in Louis Armstrong Stadium before crashing into the seats.

On Sept. 8, a quadcopter nose-dived into a flagpole and ricochet into the ship’s surprised bosun during a documentary shoot aboard a vintage cruise ship MV Balmoral in Liverpool. The crewman was reportedly shaken but otherwise uninjured.

On Sept. 5, University of Kentucky police charged a graduate student with endangerment after he allegedly drove a drone into the football stadium before a game. A sky diver parachuting into the stadium said he was forced to evade the drone after it came within 20 feet of his parachute.

In August, a drone collided with the north side of the Great American Tower in Cincinnati. The collision caused the glass of the building to break and fall down on the garage. Although the collision resulted in pieces of glass falling down, there were no injuries.

In July, a drone crashed into a tree amongst a crowd of thousands at the popular Summerfest event in Albuquerque.