Florida

The fallout from last year’s holiday drone show mishap at Lake Eola in downtown Orlando has escalated into the courtroom. Earlier this month, Adriana Edgerton, the mother of a 7-year-old boy struck by a malfunctioning drone during the December 21, 2024, performance, filed a sweeping negligence and product liability lawsuit in Orange County Circuit Court against the City of Orlando and four companies tied to the event.

Thursday, the Florida State Senate took up SB 1422, a bill to restrict drone flights over critical infrastructure and allow individuals the ability to bring down drones using “reasonable force” if they are flying over their property. However, the body substituted the less controversial House bill, passing it unanimously and sending it to the Governor.

A new Florida bill that is set to be voted on by the state’s Senate could put drones flown in the state at risk of being shot down or brought down using “reasonable force” if a person believes their privacy is being violated and the drone is below 500 feet.

Hundreds of spectators gathered at Lake Eola Park in downtown Orlando on December 21, expecting a dazzling holiday-themed drone show. Instead, they witnessed chaos as drones crashed midair, plunged into the lake, and veered off course. The worst of it? A 7-year-old boy was struck by one of the falling drones, suffering serious injuries that led to open-heart surgery. Now, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its preliminary report detailing what went wrong, and the findings are alarming.

What began as a magical evening of holiday cheer turned into a nightmare for thousands gathered at Lake Eola Park in Orlando, Florida, when several drones fell from the sky during a light show. Among the injured was a 7-year-old boy, Alezander Edgerton, who required emergency heart surgery after being struck by a drone.

Can you legally shoot down a drone if it’s “bothering” you? For Dennis Winn, a 72-year-old Florida retiree, the answer has come with a $5,000 restitution order and criminal charges after he shot down a Walmart delivery drone hovering near his Lake County home.

The United States National Drone Association (USNDA) has officially announced its formation, with offices in Washington, DC, and its national headquarters situated at Full Sail University in Florida. The USNDA aims to advance drone technology across various sectors by collaborating with students, faculty, and industry leaders through academic and technological partnerships.

In a bizarre turn of events in Clermont, Florida, a 72-year-old man was arrested after allegedly shooting at a Walmart delivery drone. “A bullet hole was discovered in the payload the drone was carrying,” the police said.

US drone maker Skydio says the Miami Beach Police Department (MBPD) plans to use its new X10 drones to monitor spring break 2024 crowds. The MBPD has previously used Skydio drones during large-scale public events such as Art Week 2023 and New Year’s Eve to help protect event attendees and keep the community at large safe.

A 52-year-old man who shot down a high-end DJI drone belonging to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office in Florida has been sentenced to four years in federal prison. Here’s the whole story…

In a case of disruptive technology promising transformative disruption of disrupting business practices, Florida drone company Sustainable Skylines says it will transform what many beachgoers consider the annoying activity of aerial banner advertising – and, somehow, make it better.

Today, a rule goes into effect that bans Florida government agencies from using drones made by a “foreign country of concern,” which, if you’ve been following the drone regulation space for any amount of time, practically means DJI – and police agencies are not happy about it.

Tampa Bay drone and robotic services company FLYMOTION has joined the expanding list of homegrown and national businesses and emergency responder organizations now hard at work to locate and care for survivors, and assist large areas of southwest Florida start recovering from the devastating passage of Hurricane Ian.

Miami-based Airborne Response says it has completed more than 500 drone flights in Florida in the last few days on behalf of its customers. The drone company is working with critical infrastructure providers to help assess damage, restore power, and process insurance claims in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian.

Ian, which made landfall along the southwestern coast of Florida as a powerful Category 4 hurricane Wednesday, has left catastrophic damage in its wake. As rescue crews and disaster relief groups jump-start recovery in the region, drones have emerged as a critical force multiplier for damage assessment and search and rescue efforts.

Florida Power & Light Company (FPL), an electric utility that serves more than 12 million people in Florida, says its $1.2 million FPLAir One drone is ready for primetime. The launch of the FPLAir One, the utility adds, is a milestone in itself because no other uncrewed aircraft of its size has ever been used before for commercial purposes outside of an FAA test site.

Researchers involved in a unique wildlife project are flying drones in an effort to track invasive Burmese pythons that are infesting the Everglades and other natural areas of Florida.

Thirty years. That’s how long 51-year-old Wendell Doyle Goney could spend in federal prison if he’s proven guilty. His crime? Destruction of a drone belonging to Lake County Sheriff’s Office in Florida and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.

A school of crevalle jack has showcased a mesmerizing display of artistic swimming right off the shores of Juno Beach in Florida. Swimming in perfect synchronization to create a heart-shaped formation, the fish look especially stunning in the glistening turquoise waters.

Florida’s Tampa Bay has been battling toxic red tide bloom for weeks now. Hundreds of tons of dead fish and other marine organisms, as well as debris, have been washing ashore routinely, causing trouble for beachgoers. So now, some counties are turning to modern technology solutions like drones to keep their beaches clean.

A drone belonging to Lake County Sheriff’s Office in Florida met an untimely death this week when a man opened gunfire at it in midair. Why? He thought the drone was sent to harass him.