Just as she was approaching the finish line, Raija Ogden’s vision of successfully completing the triathlon she was competing in came to a crashing end . . . literally, as she was felled by a falling drone.
The aircraft was being used by local photographer Warren Abrams to film competitors in the Geraldton Endure Batavia triathlon in Western Australia. Whether the drone actually struck her is still being debated, as some witnesses are saying the aircraft crashed behind her, startling Ogden and causing her to trip and bang her head on the pavement.
Regardless of whether the drone made actual, physical contact with Ogden is trivial because the fact of the matter is that it did crash in the middle of a sporting event, and it did lead to an injury.
According to Abrams, the drone was being operated at a height of approximately 33 feet (10 m) above the racers as they completed the 10km run section of the triathlon. He said that his initial investigation showed someone else briefly took over the drone and forced it to crash.
Determining who in the crowd did this might be a bit difficult though, as Abrams explained anyone with a smartphone would have the ability (with the right programming) to hack the software controlling his aircraft.
The incident is now under investigation by Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority, whose rules clearly dictate that any unmanned aircraft near a group of people must be at a distance of at least 98 feet (30 m). Also, it states the use of drones is permitted only by operators certified by the agency to fly the unmanned aircraft.
News reports on the incident have raised questions about whether Abrams was, in fact, certified to operate the drone.
Story via: bbc.com
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