Arial Videographer Flies A Drone Into Exploding Fireworks

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flying-drone-through-fireworksA recent video filmed by Jos Stiglingh is about to give many amateur drone operators some very bad ideas. The video, filmed with a GoPro Hero 3 Silver, shows the view from a DJI Phantom quadcopter drone flying through a major firework show in West Palm Beach, Florida.

The video is incredibly breathtaking, but the only problem is that all fireworks shows are protected under Coast Guard established safety zones. The punishment for violating these safety zones is a $40,000 fine and for willful violations, it is a Class D felony, punishable by at least 5, but no more than 10 years in prison. This becomes even more problematic now that some quad-copter video drones can be found online for under $50 (click here for more details)

Do you think it was worth it;

The HD video from the flying drone is certainly stunning, but it’s also dangerous and unlawful. The drone flight through the fireworks is unsafe and illegal since the airspace above the fireworks display creates an increased risk of hazardous debris (from the fireworks or the flying drone itself) falling into spectators, or back onto the fireworks, which might cause malfunctions. There is also a possibility that a firework colliding with the flying drone might change the course of one of the fireworks back onto spectator areas, rocketing into the crowd. The flying quad-copter drone in this video may have made it safely through all of the fireworks, but if more drones continue to do this stunt, we will most likely have mid-air collisions. All of these factors show how this flying drone operation was unsafe. While this drone luckily missed all of the fireworks, there’s no way he could have planned that. Avoiding the explosions was luck, not skill.

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