Commercial drones have been getting a bad rep lately. They’ve been causing all sorts of commotion, mainly when they get in the way of aerial firefighters or get shot down by angry neighbors.
But are there real safety concerns behind these pesky buzzing objects? It’s not like hobby drones are going around killing people, right?
Mythbusters’ Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman set out to see if spinning quadcopter blades, without any additional armament, are strong enough to cut flesh and, ultimately, cause fatalities.
They tested two mid-range models, a kit-level Rotorbits Hexocopter (6 rotors, 13.23ox) and an out-of-the-box Quanum Nova (4 rotors, 10.6 oz). The blades were affixed to a stick, which gently grazed the flesh of a chicken. Watch the chicken await its fate below:
Okay, so it might be a stretch to compare chicken carcasses to human flesh, but the damage done does show that home drones and their fast-spinning blades can cause at least some sort of injury. And, if a blade happens to catch you in the jugular vein, like Adam so charmingly points out, you’re a goner.
If not a laugh, something drone pilots should take away from this video is to remember there’s always a level of responsibility that comes with flying a potentially dangerous tool, so don’t be a jerk (or a murderer).
Jamie Wisniewski 