A drone filming the action at the start of the Feaster Five road race in Andover, Massachusetts, fell into a crowd of 10,000 runners, slightly injuring one person. The police chief and town manager have banned all drones from large, outdoor community events.

ANDOVER, Mass. — A Massachusetts town has chosen to ban drones during big events after one of the devices crashed into a group of runners during a Thanksgiving Day road race last year.

Andrew Flanagan, the new town manager in Andover, Massachusetts, told the North Andover (Massachusetts) Eagle-Tribune that an internal investigation following the Feaster Five race led to the decision.

“Moving forward both I and the police department will restrict any and all operations of UAS/Drones during special events in the community,” Flanagan said. “This includes all road races, charity walks, events in the park and any other event that needs town approval and permit from the town.”

Flanagan added that the Federal Aviation Administration conducted its own investigation, and officials met with Andover High School media teacher Dan Brennan, who operated the drone, Tom Licciardello, chairman of the Feaster Five race which requested the drone, and three members of the Andover Police Department, which approved use of the drone at the race.

The Feaster Five committee had asked Brennan to film the last couple of races using his drone because the aerial videos online were popular with race participants.

But during the race last fall, things went awry while runners stood at the starting line. One runner actually captured a video on his iPhone showing the drone hovering over the crowd, clipping a tree, and plunging into a group of runners.

Yanni Wallingford, an Andover native who was home for the Thanksgiving holiday, was hit by the drone when it crashed.

“Probably about a foot above head level and then … I put my hand up so it wouldn’t hit me in the face,” Wallingford said. “It hit my hand.”

While Wallingford’s injuries were mild — he needed a Band-Aid at the end of the race — the damage to the drone was more extensive. After it hit the ground, several people stomped on it and removed its battery. However, Wallingford’s father, Steve Wallingford, said his son’s injury was a small part of a much bigger issue.

“I think all the attention in the media has missed the big picture,” Wallingford said. “It’s incredible to me that anyone would approve flying a drone over a densely packed crowd of people. I’m a retired military pilot, so maybe I’m more sensitive to what can go wrong with things that are flying, but I absolutely question how anyone approved this in what appears to be violation of FAA policy.”

At this point, it’s not clear if use of the drone violated the law, but it certainly violated some of the recommendations put out by the FAA on the use of drones, in particular that they not be used over large crowds.

The drone hasn’t been used since the Thanksgiving Day incident. Brennan could not be reached for comment.

But Licciardello said the drone was basically destroyed by the people in the crowd.

“When it landed, somebody stomped on it,” he said. “The drone suffered much worse injuries (than Wallingford). It will never fly again. We had one cut finger and a deceased drone.”

But that was enough for Licciardello to proclaim that the race organizers would never use another drone to film the race.

“We can assure you we will not be deploying drones ever again,” Licciardello said, adding that after he told that to the FAA officials during their meeting, they were relieved. “They said they had been hoping that’s what I’d say.”

Cruz and Kirk write for the North Andover (Massachusetts) Eagle-Tribune.