The first ever Fifa-goal scoreboard projected by a swarm of drones lit up the Seattle skyline last night, a spectacle that has British aviation regulators scrambling to define liability rules for such airborne displays. The event, staged by US tech firm Lumina Sky, used 200 synchronised drones to form a giant scoreboard over the city’s CenturyLink Field during a friendly match. But as the novelty fades, UK regulators fear a legal vacuum over who pays when drones fall or fail.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has confirmed it is reviewing current regulations after the Seattle demonstration, which saw drones hover at 120 metres, tracking the live match score. A CAA spokesperson said: “We are aware of the emerging technology and are consulting with industry on safety and liability frameworks.” The move comes amid growing union concern over job security for traditional scoreboard operators.
Dave Prentis, general secretary of the UNISON union, said: “Workers in stadiums face being replaced by gadgetry. Who compensates them if a drone crashes into a van or a house? The rules are not keeping pace with the billionaires’ toys.
” Labour MP for Makerfield, Yvonne Fovargue, has tabled a parliamentary question on whether drone scoreboards would require public liability insurance. “It’s a kitchen table issue,” she said. “If a drone plummets into a back garden, the family should not be left out of pocket.
” The Seattle project required a special waiver from the US Federal Aviation Administration. In the UK, current rules ban drones over crowds and within 150 metres of congested areas. But the CAA is under pressure from tech lobbyists to relax these for “artistic and sporting events”.
Critics argue that such relaxations favour corporate entertainment over public safety. The cost of a drone scoreboard is estimated at £50,000 per match, compared with £2,000 for a traditional electronic board. But in Seattle, the NFL team said the drone display boosted ticket sales.
For the average working family in Stoke or Sunderland, this feels like another gimmick for the rich, while we struggle to heat our homes and put food on the table. As one local union rep put it: “If they’ve got 200 drones to flash a score, they can afford to pay the scoreboard operator a living wage.” The CAA expects to publish a consultation paper on drone liability by autumn.
