Someone crashed a drone into Seattle's Great Wheel...

[Steven Ackerman]

Someone crashed a drone into Seattle's Great Wheel

 

[Mutilatedjak]

So they say it's a no fly zone there... But after checking several no fly zone resources, it seems like it's clear to fly there?

 

[Chuck]

It doesn't matter if it is a no fly zone or not. Common sense says it is not a good place to put a UAV anywhere near. I have been there, and as pretty as Seattle is in that area, it draws hundreds of people daily. With the upcoming changes in our hobby for registration, and who knows what else, we did not need something like this hanging over our heads. I guess in this case registration would help them identify the idiot who lost it. The news said, according to people who saw the quad, it looked like the pilot was trying to fly through the spokes of the wheel. They said it sounded like a small explosion when it crashed through the patio table. Luckily, no one was hurt. This time. It is just another black eye for us, and those of us who are responsible pilots are going to have to listen to the fallout from it. I think we may be in for a rough ride.

 

[Mutilatedjak]

I agree, just because it's not a no fly zone, doesn't mean it's ok to fly over people, near structures, etc.

I read the Komo news article, and someone said they thought it was a no fly zone, I just wish the journalist would have done more work to provide a more complete story.

 

[GoodnNuff]

I'm in Seattle, both the Great Wheel and the Space Needle are NFZs according to the city.
I knew the Space Needle had been made a NFZ after several drone incidents over the past year or so, but was surprised to hear the Great Wheel was one too, as it should be, along with the entire downtown waterfront IMO.

The Phantom 3 hit the wheel and bounced off into a plastic dining table on an unoccupied dining patio next door. It put a nice hole in the table:

VIDEO: Drone hits Seattle Great Wheel | www.kirotv.com

 

[Mutilatedjak]

OK good to know. Do you have a link to the no fly zones?

 

[Chuck]

A hole in a table is much better than a hole in a person. It was a very good thing the patio was unoccupied. I sure love your part of the country, GoodnNuff.

 

[GoodnNuff]

OK good to know. Do you have a link to the no fly zones?

No, a google search right now is not finding either. I'm at work right now, but some app I have on my phone at home shows the Space Needle as a NFZ, not sure which app though.

 

[GoodnNuff]

A hole in a table is much better than a hole in a person. It was a very good thing the patio was unoccupied. I sure love your part of the country, GoodnNuff.

Yes it is. We had a Phantom 3 hit a parade attendee in the head this summer, knocking her unconscious. That pilot was just fined $5000 for reckless endangerment:

Man charged for Seattle drone crash that knocked woman out

 

[Mutilatedjak]

I checked 2 different drone apps and both showed the wheel as clear (not sure about the space needle). Again, not saying that it's a good idea to fly there.