Tirupati: A drone being used by the forest department for a survey crashed into a tree near SNC area in Tirumala on Saturday afternoon while TTD forest officials there for survey of vacant lands. The devotees nearby, sensing danger, ran away. TTD forest officials later recovered the drone. According to officials, the drone was hit by a bird.
According to eyewitnesses the drone crash near SNC produced an abnormally loud sound with its motor partly running. Everyone ran away from there.
Later it came to light that the forest department had been surveying for vacant areas in order to develop greenery under AP urban greenery project on top of the hill.
There are restrictions in Tirumala for flying objects. The TTD had permitted forest officials to survey around 200 metres from Mada Streets.
Forest range officer Mr. SN Siva Kumar said, “The drone was hit by a bird following which its handlers diverted it but straight into the tree. We are surveying the vacant lands for the past two days with two normal drones and one aircraft model drone. The crashed machine not even hurt anyone as it weighs less than two kilos.”
Inspire of supporting their act, the officials should also remember that any sort of fear in the devotees may lead to stampede.
