Man jailed after his drone knocks woman unconscious

A Seattle based man identified as Paul Skinner has been sentenced to 30-days in jail by a Seattle Municipal Court for reckless endangerment after an incident at a parade in 2015 where his drone fell from the sky before hitting a woman on the head and knocking her unconscious.

The 38-year-old drone pilot was also fined $500, the Seattle Times reported. Judge Willie Gregory said that while he understood it was an accident, Skinner had nevertheless “engaged in conduct that put people in danger of being injured, which is what happened,” and therefore deserved to be punished.

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City Attorney Pete Holmes had pressed for a three-month sentence, describing rogue drone flights as “a serious public-safety issue that will only get worse” as more people buy the remote-controlled flying machines.

Jeffrey Kradel, Skinner’s attorney, told the Times that the sentence was “too severe” for an incident that wasn’t deliberate. He added that in his view the court was using his client to set an example, calling such behaviour an improper use of prosecutorial authority.

The incident occurred in downtown Seattle during the city’s annual Pride Parade two years ago. Skinner, who runs an aerial photography business, was capturing imagery using a two-pound, 18 x 18-inch drone.

The machine reportedly struck a building, sending it tumbling to the ground, where it hit the 27-year-old woman on the head.

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