An investigation by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) concluded that strong winds caused 427 of 500 Damoda drones to fall into Melbourne's Yarra River during a light show celebrating the Matildas before the Women’s World Cup on July 14, 2023. The drones launched at 6:30 PM, but within two minutes, critical errors and collisions occurred due to wind conditions exceeding their capacity, which the remote pilot failed to identify. Only 236 of the 427 lost drones were recovered. The report highlighted the operator's lack of a system for pilot software familiarity and the software's inability to actively alert pilots to wind speed exceedances.
Strong winds blamed for 427 drones falling into Yarra River during Women’s World Cup light show
MelbourneAustraliaTechnologyVictoriaDrones (non-military)
AI Summary
TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️An investigation by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) concluded that strong winds caused 427 of 500 Damoda drones to fall into Melbourne's Yarra River during a light show celebrating the Matildas before the Women’s World Cup on July 14, 2023. The drones launched at 6:30 PM, but within two minutes, critical errors and collisions occurred due to wind conditions exceeding their capacity, which the remote pilot failed to identify. Only 236 of the 427 lost drones were recovered. The report highlighted the operator's lack of a system for pilot software familiarity and the software's inability to actively alert pilots to wind speed exceedances.
- 1 July 14, 2023, 6:30 PM: Drone light show launched; drones began falling into Yarra River
- 2 This week (implied July 14-16, 2025): Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) report released
- 3 Ongoing: Damoda considering software updates
- Loss of 427 drones, with 191 remaining unrecovered
- ATSB investigation and report
- Recommendations for drone operators regarding pilot training and software functionality
- Damoda considering software updates for wind alerts
What: 427 out of 500 drones fell into the Yarra River during a light show.
When: July 14, 2023, at 6:30 PM (incident occurred); ATSB report released "this week" (implied July 14-16, 2025).
Where: Yarra River, Docklands, Melbourne CBD, Victoria, Australia.
Why: Strong wind conditions exceeded the drones' capacity shortly after launch, triggering autopilot failures and collisions. The remote pilot was unaware of the wind speed display, and the operator lacked a system for pilot software familiarity.
How: Drones launched, encountered strong winds, experienced critical errors and collisions, and subsequently fell into the river. The ATSB investigated the incident.