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SC New Year’s Eve drone show stopped after man hit by falling drone

While drones like the one pictured here are allowed on Hilton Head Island, flying on the beach in not permitted.
While drones like the one pictured here are allowed on Hilton Head Island, flying on the beach in not permitted.

A drone show on New Year’s Eve stopped shortly after it began Tuesday night when a drone fell from the sky and struck a viewer.

A man was struck by the drone at a performance of choreographed drones in the sky over Folly Beach, TV station WCSC reported. The man was treated by first responders at the scene for non-life-threatening injuries.

The drone show began at 7 p.m. but came to an end moments later and the remaining drones descended to a nearby landing zone.

This was the first year that Folly Beach had sponsored a drone show instead of traditional fireworks to ring in the new year.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the drone incident, Charleston station WCIV reports.

Bristow Marchant
The State
Bristow Marchant covers local government, schools and community in Lexington County for The State. He graduated from the College of Charleston in 2007. He has almost 20 years of experience covering South Carolina at the Clinton Chronicle, Sumter Item and Rock Hill Herald. He joined The State in 2016. Bristow has won numerous awards, most recently the S.C. Press Association’s 2024 education reporting award.  Support my work with a digital subscription
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