Child injured by falling drone at Orlando holiday show; FAA investigates

Sky Elements Drones operated the show with sponsorship from City of Orlando authorities. Promotional material described it as featuring "a dazzling display of synchronized drones flying in formation to create beautiful holiday-themed designs in the night sky." The event involved hundreds of drones and another show scheduled for later that evening was canceled due to "technical difficulties."

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating what led to multiple drones colliding during the performance. An FAA spokesperson noted that potential causes could include GPS interference or programming errors.

For such events, FAA authorization is required along with checks on software and safety procedures. Sky Elements Drones stated it is cooperating with both the FAA and City of Orlando officials to determine what caused the accident.

Drone shows have gained popularity as quieter alternatives to fireworks displays during holidays. In September, Shenzhen hosted a record-setting drone show with over 7,500 devices, which was surpassed days later by an even larger display.

Sky Elements Drones holds a U.S. record for coordinating 5,000 drones over Mansfield, Texas recently.