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Toddler loses an eye after being sliced by a drone propeller

By Kenny Yeo - on 2 Dec 2015, 9:18am

Toddler loses an eye after being sliced by a drone propeller

Image source: BBC

An 18-month old boy in U.K. has just lost an eye in what has to be one of the worst accidents involving a drone.

Oscar Webb was playing in front of his home in Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire when he was hit by drone in the face.

The drone was piloted by Simon Evans, Webb's next-door neighbor. The drone was flying in front of Webb's house where it clipped a tree and spun out of control before hitting Oscar in the face.

Evans said, "It was up for about 60 seconds. As I brought it back down to land, it just clipped the tree and span round. The next thing I know I've just heard my friend shriek and say, 'Oh God no' and I turned around and just saw blood and his baby on the floor crying."

The drone hit Oscar in the face. And his eyeball was sliced in half by the drone's propeller. 

Oscar's mother, Amy Roberts, still recalled what she saw that day. "What I saw, I can still see it now, and what I saw or what I thought I saw was the bottom half of his eye and it's the worst thing I've ever seen. I just hoped and prayed all the way there that what I saw wasn't true and wasn't real."

The boy would need more surgeries before a prosthetic eye can be fitted. On the plus side, doctors said he can still see out of his uninjured eye and that many people manage well in life with just an eye. 

As for Evans, though he has been reportedly forgiven by the family, he said he has not flown another drone since the accident and also said that he felt "physically sick" whenever he sees the drones in his garage.

With drone-flying becoming increasingly popular, it's worth remembering that these drones are serious machines with the capacity to injure others. Enthusiasts should always operate their drones safely to ensure the safety of others.

Source: BBC

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