A NSW man has been hospitalised after he was hit in the face by a remote control helicopter he was flying at Berry Sport and Recreational Centre in Berry.
The incident occurred at around 11:30am when the model aircraft fell out of the sky, leaving the 35-year-old man with facial and upper limb injuries, along with fractures. He was airlifted to St George Hospital.
“It lost control and hit the ground and then also hit the male person,” Nowra Police Sergeant Paul McCann told 9 News. “As a result of that he has a number of injuries. There were two passers-by who came to his aid. Lucky they were there I guess.”
“This isn’t a toy but any recreational remote control vehicle can be dangerous and today is testimonial to that. (The device is) destroyed.”
The man is in a serious but stable condition, with NSW Ambulance Inspector Faye Stockman saying he’s very fortunate. “These remote control helicopters can be quite fierce especially with the blades on them. I do know the blades are broken,” she said.
“It’s really quite a freak accident. It’s not one I’ve been exposed to. He has indicated he has flown them for quite some time.”
While the vehicle he was flying isn’t necessarily a drone, those with the increasingly popular consumer drones should also be taking care when operating them.
