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Drone Hits Huge Seattle Ferris Wheel

 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

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Seattle police are investigating a crash that saw a drone collide with the city's giant ferris wheel and land on the deck of a nearby restaurant.

The drone ricocheted off the 175-foot tall Seattle Great Wheel around 4:45 p.m. and crashed onto a plastic table on the patio of a neighboring restaurant, according to Seattle's Kiro TV. No injuries were reported, but the drone "punched a hole in the table and sent pieces of plastic flying," the report notes.

"Anything that comes from that height, with that kind of weight, is going to do some damage," security manager Wayman Earls, who saw the crash, told Kiro TV. Fortunately, the restaurant was already closed for winter, or the situation could have been much worse.

Police arrived on the scene and confiscated the drone — said to be a $1,300 DJI Phantom — but were unable to locate its operator.

This isn't the first time a drone has caused trouble in downtown Seattle. This summer, one went haywire during the city's Pride Parade, crashing into a building before striking a 25-year-old woman in the head, according to The Seattle Times. The operator of that drone was charged with reckless endangerment. A drone also reportedly hit the city's iconic Space Needle last year, though it didn't do any damage.

Those purchasing drone will soon be required to register it with the government. Regulators still need to iron out the details of the registration system, though they plan to establish it before the end of the year.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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