(MENAFN) Over 400 drones plunged into Melbourne’s Victoria Harbor during a 2023 drone light show, primarily due to strong winds and pilot missteps, according to a report released Tuesday.

Shortly after 500 Damoda Newton V2.2 drones took flight for the nighttime spectacle on July 14, 2023, the pilot observed several units drifting out of position—a problem confirmed both visually and via the control system, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) stated in its official investigation.

As software errors escalated, the drones attempted to align with their intended formations, causing numerous mid-air collisions. The pilot issued a command for the fleet to hold position and tried to regain control of the most compromised drones. Despite these efforts, connection was lost with almost 400 units, the report detailed.

In total, 427 of the 500 drones ended up crashing into the harbor. The incident revealed significant shortcomings in pilot training and highlighted the urgent need for more rigorous safety systems, the ATSB found.

Investigators determined that the drone operator had failed to ensure that pilots were properly trained on critical software functionalities—an oversight that heightened the chance of missing critical alerts. Additionally, the control software did not provide real-time warnings about dangerous wind speeds, compounding the risks.

"Compliance with operational guidelines and limitations set or approved by the regulator is critically important to minimize risk to both the operation and the public," emphasized ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell.

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