The mother of a 7-year-old boy, injured after being struck by a rogue drone during the City of Orlando's holiday show, has taken legal action, filing a lawsuit against the city and several companies involved. The child, Alezander, was hit and required open-heart surgery, resulting in the lawsuit that alleges negligence.
As described by ClickOrlando, Adriana Edgerton, the boy's mother, asserts in her lawsuit that Orlando officials were aware of the high risks involved with the "aerial equipment" and that sufficient precautions were not taken to protect the public from potential harm. The drone show was produced by Sky Elements LLC, and utilized UVify IFO drones and flight software from SPH Engineering SIA, all named in the suit.
Further digging into the technicalities of the December 21, 2024, incident, a revealing FOX 35 Orlando article discloses that preliminary conclusions by the National Transportation Safety Board noted several malfunctions. Just minutes before the show commenced, some drones were not receptive to launch data, and a subsequent "soft reboot" did not resolve the issues for all the drones. Ultimately, the incorrect alignment and failure to send a final flight data file resulted in a skewed show and drones colliding, with a "geo-hard fence" incorrectly positioned perilously close to onlookers.
In seeking justice, Edgerton's lawsuit lists a litany of damages, including severe and permanent injuries sustained by her son. It demands compensatory damages for the multitude of costs associated with Alezander's recovery.
