Drone hits runner during Australian triathlon

Unmanned aerial vehicles – commonly referred to as drones – are becoming an increasingly common sight at sporting events. Drones are being used both for entertainment and security. But at a Australian triathlon a drone became a hazard when it fell out of the sky and onto a runner.

During the 10K run portion of Endure Batavia Triathlon, participant Raija Ogden of Perth, Australia was struck on the head by the drone, which was being used to cover the event by a videography company, according to the website Everything Geraldton. Ogden sustained a head injury and was taken to hospital. The severity of her injury has not been released.

The drone company, New Era Photography and Film, suspects foul play. “We will be conducting a full investigation of what happened but it looks as though someone has hacked into our system,” said owner Warren Abrams.

Drones have been used in North American road races, both as a novel means of covering a large running event and as a new measure of added security. The Boston police have reportedly considered using drones to monitor the 42.2K route for suspicious activity.

Here is another eerie photo of the incident.

Below is footage of the White Mountain Miler’s Half-Marathon from 2012.