Florida boy undergoes open heart surgery after being hit by falling drone at holiday show

ORLANDO, Fla. (WFLA) — A young boy required open heart surgery after multiple drones at a holiday show in Orlando, Florida, unexpectedly fell from the sky. The Federal Aviation Administration is now investigating.

Adriana Edgerton, the 7-year-old boy's mother, told local news outlet WESH that she and her family were watching the holiday drone show at Lake Eola. Suddenly, according to video obtained by the outlet, several drones collided and crashed into the crowd.

Another person in attendance told Orlando outlet WKMG that roughly a few dozen drones crashed in the incident. Video viewed by the Orlando Sentinel showed swans, famous in Lake Eola, having to quickly move out of the way as the drones fell from the sky.

Authorities said one person was hospitalized. According to Edgerton, it was her son, who appeared to have been struck in the chest by one of the drones.

"Everyone’s natural instinct was to duck and scatter, and before we realized it, my daughter found my son on the floor unconscious," Edgerton told WESH. "He had blood coming out of his face."

She said Sunday her son was undergoing open heart surgery due to his injury but there was no further word on his condition.

In a post to Facebook, Edgerton shared a photo of her son, writing, "[The City of Orlando] and Sky Elements Drone really have some explaining to do. They will be held accountable for what was done to my son. I pray he makes it out of this!"

In a statement Sunday, the FAA said it was investigating the incident.

"Drone arrays and light shows are subject to FAA regulation," the statement read. "Typically, these events require a waiver to the regulation that prohibits operating more than one drone at a time. We thoroughly review each drone show application to make sure the flying public and people on the ground will be safe."

A cause for the apparent drone malfunction has not been released. Texas-based Sky Elements, which organized the show, said in a statement shared with the Orlando Sentinel that it is committed to upholding the highest safety standards.

"Sky Elements Drones wants to extend our sincere hope for a full and speedy recovery for those impacted at our Lake Eola show."

The City of Orlando said it was working with the FAA and Sky Elements, and that police detectives were in contact with the boy's family.

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