The range on the Phantom is several miles....technically, a child could be injured similarly from quite a distance. Less likely of course but stranger things have happened.
What happened to this child is tragic, but not very common.
The FAA even acknowledges that children will be involved in this hobby stating the rules for minors with regards to registration.
Maybe there were other adults there who took their eyes off the child?
Maybe the child was inside the house and wandered out while eyes were in the sky? The article didn't get that specific.
So I'm just saying going ballistic on the operator with out all the facts is similar to what the media does.
The media vilifies the hobby the same way. "Death to the evil drone person!!!"
Meanwhile, children sit in the bleachers at Nascar races, blind folded children carrying sharp instruments play "pin the tail on the donkey" with other children easily in eye poking range and so forth. This was an accident. They happen.
My point is we shouldn't get hysterical and classify someone dangerous or in such terms unless we know the person and the exact circumstances. To live, we also must accept that there are risks we take everyday, sometimes they affect us...sometimes others as well. If you try to mitigate every possibility, you'll live in a bubble.
I do feel awful for that poor kid though.
