Pilot describes landing after hot air balloon carrying three hit by drone
Tuesday, 24 March 2026
A hot air balloon carrying three people was forced into an emergency landing after being struck by a drone in Hamilton on Tuesday morning.
Dragonfly, a green and black striped balloon, came down at Wake Park in Dinsdale, near Aberdeen School, around 8am after the mid-air incident.
Pilot David Norris said he didn’t see the drone, but one of the others on board spotted it before it disappeared.
“We hadn't seen it, so you just wonder what on earth's going on. At that point we were forced into having to land, which we did safely.”
Norris said the extent of the damage was still unclear, with a full inspection scheduled for Wednesday.
“At this stage, we can't see any holes in the envelope. But that doesn't mean to say that the fabric isn't damaged in some way.”
Norris, a landscape gardener, had planned to head to work but said he would be “sticking around home” in case authorities need more information.
He said drones have flown near balloons before but usually “stayed away from us”, and warned it’s a real issue for balloonists.
“Our envelopes are made of a nylon or polyester fabric, and the propellers on drones can very easily tear the envelope.
Once there’s a hole, “it could become a very big opening whilst you're in the air and then you've got heat loss and uncontrolled descent to ground”.
Nearby residents watched the incident unfold.
Sharon Morrison, whose home backs onto the park, said she initially thought the balloons were going to “land on the bloody roof”.
“You can hear them talking, and I yelled out ‘hey lads, if you get closer, you can come in for breakfast’. And I got this big chuckle back.”
Louise Hammond said she saw the drone circling before the landing.
“I was out just looking at balloons in the backyard and the drone flew over me but I didn’t really take much notice.”
She said it was visible, loud and circling “over the back of our property”.
Emma Bradley said the landing appeared unplanned.
“Normally when they land, they don't go down really fast because they check out the lay of the land and wait for their trailer guy to be there and clear it all out.”
The LuLu the Leopard balloon also landed at the park, but Bradley said it was a normal landing.
Balloons over Waikato flight director Nic Norris said there were no injuries.
“We would like to remind the public that drones are not permitted anywhere near hot air balloons,” Norris said.
Balloons fly at low altitudes, he said, making them vulnerable.
“Any interference poses a serious safety risk.”
The incident has been referred to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which said it is assessing what happened.
The CAA is determining “whether further action is required,“ a spokesperson told the Waikato Times.
More than 20 balloons have taken to the Waikato skies as part of the annual event.
Update: This article initially said Dragonfly was carrying passengers. Balloons Over Waikato advised those on board were crew. (Updated 6.07pm, 24 March 2026.)