A Christmas drone show in Florida turned terrifying when several drones collided mid-air, plummeting into the crowd below at high speeds, causing injuries and leaving a young boy clinging to life. The incident, which occurred during a holiday display at Lake Eola Park in Orlando, has sparked outrage and concern from witnesses and parents.
The show, put on by Sky Elements Drones in partnership with the City of Orlando, began with an impressive display of hundreds of red and green drones creating intricate patterns in the sky.
However, what was meant to be a magical spectacle quickly turned into a chaotic and frightening scene. As the drones flew over the crowd, several malfunctioned and broke ranks, crashing into the audience below. Startling video footage captured the moment of panic as drones streaked toward the ground, with shocked gasps and cries from the audience.
One child, who was reportedly struck in the face by a rogue drone, was rushed to the emergency room in critical condition.
The boy’s mothers, Jessica Lumedge and Adriana Edgerton, shared heartbreaking photos of their son with a bloody upper lip and revealed the terrifying aftermath. “Pray for my son, we went to the Drone show at Lake Eola and one of the drones hit him in the face,” Lumedge posted on Facebook.
Edgerton, visibly shaken, later updated followers with another post, saying, “My baby is going into emergency heart surgery off of just trying to watch a drone show… I am beyond words, beyond terrified!” The anguished mother expressed her anger at both the city and the drone company, vowing they would be held accountable for the injury. “The City of Orlando and Sky Elements Drones really have some explaining to do,” she wrote.
The incident has raised serious safety concerns about the use of drones in public displays. While the Orlando Fire Department confirmed that only one injury was initially reported, witnesses paint a more grim picture. Video footage posted on social media shows attendees in shock, with one young child asking, “What’s happening?” as the drones fell from the sky.
Despite the severity of the accident, the show continued, though the City of Orlando announced that the 8 pm performance would be canceled. Andrea Otero, the city’s public information manager, confirmed that the incident is under investigation. “We are in contact with the vendor to determine what occurred with the operation,” Otero told People magazine. “FAA is handling the investigation.”