Falling drone hits two in downtown Buenos Aires

Two women, aged 40 and 48, were injured on Saturday after they were hit by a drone that fell from the sky in the Buenos Aires City neighbourhood of Constitución. A 20-year-old man seen controlling the devise was detained briefly by police.

The peculiar incident occurred close to Constitución station on Saturday afternoon, but only came to light yesterday. Both women when sent to Argerich Hospital for treatment.

Drones have become a growing problem in public areas, with many novices operating them with little or no experience. They are very popular at football matches, outdoor concerts and rallies.

Just a month ago an airline pilot reported seeing a drone flying close to his plane as he was coming in to land at the Jorge Newbery Metropolitan Airport in Buenos Aires City

SAME director Alberto Crescenti said yesterday that both women are still under observation in hospital.

Until recently, the drones fell into a legal loophole in Argentina as there was still no legislation to control who could use them and where. The National Administration of Civic Aeronautics (ANAC) then changed resolution 527, later published in the Official Gazette, stating that from January of next year users will need to have a licence to use drones in public.

The new rules also forbid flying any Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) at night.

Moreover, those who wish to use drones for recreational purposes will be required to get insured.

The drone involved in the weekend’s accident was reportedly being used to film a television commercial.

“Remotely piloted air vehicles or systems cannot be used over densely populated areas or crowds of people,” says the new ruling.

The drones will not be allowed to “operate within a lateral distance less than 200 metres from residential areas, housing developments, detached houses, roads and/or highways and public or private meetings outdoors, and less than one kilometre from towns or cities.”

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