Fatboy Slim nearly hit by a drone during a set at Brighton Beach

With decades of experience and success in his storied career, one would think there is little that Fatboy Slim has experienced over the years. During a recent set at Brighton Beach, the DJ had a dangerous encounter with a drone, adding another unique story to his long resume.

Having played a storied and somewhat terrifying set at Woodstock ’99 and a record-breaking day for his 2002 Big Beach Boutique event, Fatboy Slim is no stranger to the unique circumstances that arise when on stage. While recently returning to Brighton Beach, the English DJ and producer was confronted with a more modern obstacle, a drone. During the performance, an amateur photographer named Giles Dalby made a mistake while looking to gain a shot of the show and 8,500 attendees and instead nearly crashed into the DJ mid-set.

During his recent January 4th court appearance, Dalby stated, “I did not intend to put anyone in danger. I wanted to create a slow, cinematic appearance.” Unfortunately, he made a mistake at the controls, causing a brief moment of danger and confusion during the set. “I crashed trying to leave the area, looking to back out for an overview of the scene and finish with a wide view. It was an honest mistake that I will ensure will never repeat itself…There was no malicious intent. I switched it into sport mode which deactivates the downward sensor so I could come quickly up and out, but I accidentally went forward and down.”

Fortunately, no one was hurt and Fatboy Slim was able to complete his set, but Dalby’s actions were penalized in a court of law. The Prosecutor Megan Attree stated:

“At quarter to ten, the security were alerted that a drone had crashed into the stage, narrowly missing the crowd and the headline act. There was flight recording data on the drone, and it identified that the defendant had ignored multiple warnings. The defendant had placed the drone into sport mode, in which obstacle avoiding doesn’t work, which increases the dangers. The footage shows a near-miss collision with the crowd and performer. There was no damage or injury, but the risk was very real and very present.”

Ultimately, Dalby was found guilty of violating the Air Navigation Order 2016 and was served a fine of £891 for his actions. For Fatboy Slim, he will continue to spend 2024 DJing from stages around the world. Check out his tour dates right here.