A Perth drone firm has conceded Sunday evening’s Metropolis of Gentle occasion was “an costly present” after 50 of its drones fell from the sky into the Swan River in entrance of hundreds of onlookers.
Drone Sky Present managing director Joshua Van Ross mentioned one in each 10 drones within the 500-strong gentle present malfunctioned, with an inner investigation now underneath means to determine what occurred. Every drone price about $2000.
“We’re wanting into GPS interference to see what has gone incorrect,” he mentioned.
“If there may be any wind interference drones do hit one another, that does occur, propellers snap, there are issues that go incorrect … two to a few drones [falling] per present is definitely regular … final evening was not regular.”
Requested about the price, Van Ross estimated round $100,000 value of drones malfunctioned.
“I did cry a bit of bit final evening, I’m attempting not to consider it … however it was an costly present for us,” he mentioned.
“There would have been an exclusion zone effectively over 120 metres [between the drones and onlookers] so folks weren’t put at risk.”
Divers had been on Monday making an attempt to retrieve the units.
Imaginative and prescient of the occasion filmed by onlookers confirmed the drones consistently dropping in the course of the present because the sky lit up with Christmas-themed shapes.