Patriotic drones dominate the skies in Blue Ash, Ohio, at a 2021 July 4 celebration. [Credit: Verge Aero]
Key Takeaways:
During a Fourth of July drone show in SeaTac, Washington, 55 of 200 drones malfunctioned due to a loss of GPS signal and fell into Angle Lake.
The remote pilot initiated an emergency land mode, sending the drones into the lake as per pre-approved safety protocols to prevent potential injury or damage to the audience.
No injuries or property damage were reported, and experts commended the pilot for adhering to safety procedures by prioritizing public safety over equipment cost.
The exact cause of the GPS signal disruption is still under investigation, but the incident highlighted the effectiveness of the established flight termination protocols.
The audience at the Fourth of July drone show over Angle Lake in SeaTac, Washington, got more than it bargained for when during the performance 55 of the 200 drones in flight malfunctioned and fell out of the sky.
The drones are owned by the Great Lakes Drone Co. of Coloma, Michigan. The company has been providing drone shows since 2017.
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Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.
