A holiday drone show in Orlando’s Lake Eola Park became a nightmare for many when the unmanned aerial vehicles started malfunctioning. The incident happened on December 23, 2024, and is now being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
As seen in the videos shared across social media platforms and news outlets, the drones, which displayed red and green coloring, fell from the sky and seriously injured a seven-year-old boy Alexander Lumsden. The boy’s mother had to rush him to the hospital where he had emergency heart surgery.
His mother, Adriana Lumsden, said the aerial vehicle hit the boy in his chest, contrary to people thinking he was hit on his face. Reportedly, his mouth was also cut due to the blades. During an interview with Good Morning America, she said:
“Honestly, I was freaking out that I was gonna lose my baby because he was losing consciousness.”
According to ABC News, the boy was stable at the hospital. Nearly 25,000 people had gathered to watch the Orlando show and celebrate the holidays around 6:45 PM. The FAA stated that several aerial vehicles collided and fell, almost like they were raining down the sky. It must be noted that this show in Orlando was an FAA-permitted event.
However, this was the second year for the vendor who operated the aerial vehicles. Sky Elements, the company that provided the drones, released a statement hoping for speedy recovery of the injured or impacted ones in the mishap. The statement read:
“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.”
Sky Elements Drones stated they were working with FAA and Orlando officials to find the incident’s cause
In its statement, the company stated its collaboration with the FAA and City of Orlando officials to investigate the incident and was dedicated to determining the cause. They emphasized their commitment to adhering to the FAA's highest safety standards, noting that their shows are seen by millions each year.
According to USA Today, two performances were scheduled for the day but the second one had to be canceled due to technical difficulties. The update was shared by the Orlando City Government on its Facebook page. The post read:
“Due to technical difficulties the 8 p.m. Holiday Drone Show at Lake Eola has been cancelled. We apologize for any inconvenience.”
As the news went viral on X, a social media user expressed curiosity about the incident's root cause, noting that Sky Elements' drones had previously malfunctioned during an episode of Skinwalker Ranch. Despite their experience, adherence to FAA guidelines, and safety precautions, the measures failed to protect spectators in this case.
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Another user responded that the malfunction on Skinwalker Ranch was the only comparable incident and suggested that whatever occurred bypassed the three-tier GPS fence system, which should not be possible. One commenter speculated that the drones might have experienced a "hitchhiker effect," like the situation on the ranch.
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