Did wayward drone knock out power in Bernal Heights?

[Energy Guy]

More news about wayward drones.

Did wayward drone knock out power in Bernal Heights?

"A recreational drone possibly crashed into a Pacific Gas and Electric Co. overhead conductor Sunday evening, causing a power failure that lasted more than an hour in a small section of San Francisco.

A witness, Scott Kurth, was working at his computer when he saw a flash of light and heard a loud pop on a power pole at the intersection of Peralta Avenue and Hampshire Street, in the northern corner of Bernal Heights. The power went out in 34 homes at 5:04 p.m, according to PG&E spokesman J.D. Guidi.


Kurth did not see the impact but said a few minutes later that a man in his 30s came running up and admitted he had lost control of a drone he was flying at a nearby playground.

“He was talking to us, and we were looking for the drone with flashlights,” Kurth said. When PG&E arrived, the drone pilot moved on, Kurth said.

After power was restored, the crew searched for the drone but could not find any evidence of it, Guidi said."

 

[snerd]

The wild west days of droning are nearing an end. The great, unwashed, ignorant masses are simply too stupid to continue allowing this hobby without proper training and licensing. It was great while it lasted for those of us who flew responsibly, but the sheer capability of these drones will demand some type of aerospace testing, flight training and licensing to mitigate the inherent danger to our airspace and the population below it. When it happens, I will not say 'I told you so'.

 

[Reed L]

It would take a huge drone to take out anything on a power pole... Another transformer probably blew up as usual... It happens every day, but today someone tries to put their green enviro anti-drone crap into the news again. Oh yea, it only happens in the gay bay... go figure...

 

[DrJoe]

Just another example of pilot error, and a user that does not want to take responsibility or liability.

 

[bbfpv]

But if the owner had registered his bird, they'd have caught him by now...

 

[J.James]

Just another example of pilot error, and a user that does not want to take responsibility or liability.

how so? Esp being that its said the person did try to see if it was there drone that caused it tho its not very likely that it did and also no drone was found nore is the power co saying it was caused by a drone.

So I dont know why some one should feel any responsibility for a coincidence of losing there drone before an unrelated power outage. in less the drone had some thing to do with it.

 

[Buk]

Wow, ton of suppositions in this story.
No drone found, after knocking out the power how far is a drone gonna fly? Perhaps just fall to the ground, no drone found.
Drone operator flying nearby, drone flies away. Could very well been mechanical problem. Perhaps makes operator ignorant or stupid. Heavens just the mere act of owning one without even flying it could make a person ignorant or stupid in this every changing regulator environment
Not too unusual to find a smoking, dead squirrel at the base of a power pole with fuses blown and neighborhood dark. You need to question the frail quality and construction of our infrastructure.
These sensationalized stories....ugh. Heck it was an out of control Hoverboard bumping into the pole vibrating the conductors shorting out the transformer. Search hospitals for middle aged guy with busted butt.