A foul drone: GoPro Karma drone crashes into the stands at Major League Baseball game
posted Wednesday, May 24, 2017 at 6:30 AM EST
Fresh off the news that drone owners would no longer have to register personal drones in the US, we have another drone accident story to share with you.
Over the weekend, someone flew their GoPro Karma drone over Petco Park during the San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks baseball game. It’s worth pointing out that this is illegal. FAA regulations forbid flying drones in and around stadiums hosting Major League Baseball games – and other various events – one hour prior, during and one hour following games.
In a moment of good fortune during an otherwise baffling series of events, the drone managed to land in an empty seat between two spectators after plummeting from the sky. It nearly struck a person, which could have led to serious injuries. Pieces of debris did hit a man, but it’s being reported that he was unhurt. You expect that you might have a foul ball head your way at a baseball game, but you certainly don’t expect to have to keep your eyes peeled for falling drones.
Drone invades @Dbacks - @Padres game and makes a crash landing in the stands. pic.twitter.com/OaOcPTACLM
— FOX Sports Arizona (@FOXSPORTSAZ) May 21, 2017
To be entirely fair, it is possible that the Karma drone in question lost power during operation, as this was an issue that led to an eventual recall of all Karma drones. However, even if this is the case, a responsible drone pilot would be aware of the recall and also not fly a drone in a stadium.
Major League Baseball is aware of the incident and is working with authorities to find the responsible party. As DIY Photography says, if the pilot had followed the now-abolished FAA regulations about drone registration, the responsible party will not be difficult to track down. Incidents like this not only risk harming innocent bystanders, but they also impact how people perceive drones and may motivate authorities to enact stricter drone regulations, which could ultimately limit opportunities for responsible drone pilots.
(Via DIY Photography and Fstoppers)