Not sure if this made the news back when it happen, but the drone pilot that knocked a woman out when his drone fell on her has just been sentenced.
Paul Skinner, an aerial photographer whose drone knocked a woman unconscious, has been sentenced to 30 days in jail and slapped with a $500 fine. Skinner flew a two-pound 18-by-18 drone in 2015 to cover the city’s Pride Parade. Unfortunately, the machine hit a building and fell on the 25-year-old woman’s head in the audience, knocking her unconscious. It also injured a man nearby.
Here is the real trouble though…. he has another court appearance to determine how much of her medical expenses he is liable for… Not that going to court is trivial, but this could end up being a LOT of money.
It is this sort of thing that makes me super nervous when I fly. Anytime, anywhere I am outside, and flying, I worry about what might happen.
Yes, it takes a lot of fun out of it.
I also worry about ignorance. There is a company over here that you can fly real estate aerial photography for and earn some pocket money, but I keep reading stories of people having their drones shot at and worse, they themselves are threatened. Usually by people that are not even next to the house you are photographing. People, somehow, have just been taught that drone = spying. Don’t question it, just know that if you see a drone in the sky, you know you are a bad person for invading people’s privacy.
I have not flown since I came back from Australia. I miss it. I worry too much. I don’t worry enough.