Switch to the mobile version of this page.

The Scene

        
Tweet

Email

Print
Share

Wednesday, May 9, 2018

The Scene

Some drone footage of Detroit's Old Wayne County Building, and a cautionary tale

Posted By Lee DeVito on Wed, May 9, 2018 at 1:14 PM

click to enlarge

Screengrab

Downtown Detroit's Old Wayne County Building is currently undergoing a $2.6 million renovation. In the meantime, a photographer decided to take a closer look, flying a drone around the building to capture a stunning view of the construction crew's progress.

The footage, however, came at a cost.

The photographer posted the video and a cautionary tale on Reddit's r/detroit board. Apparently, after the video cut out the drone malfunctioned and crashed into the building's steeple:

4K drone footage of the current status of the Old Wayne County Building in Downtown Detroit. It is currently being renovated. This video cost me my drone....while recording the top portion of the building, the drone lost GPS and tried to return "home". Unfortunately it flew right into the steeple. The video cuts out before the crash because the file was corrupted upon crashing. Time to purchase a new drone :( Hope you guys like it! I'd really love a tour of the inside!

Fortunately, the photographer was able to retrieve his remote-controlled quadcopter, writing in a subsequent post that "the guys working on the site were super helpful. They went up on the roof twice for me (once to recover the drone, and again to find the camera that came off the drone)."

Anyway, the video is below. And for the record, the building owners are still seeking a new tenant, if anyone is in the market for space in a 115-year-old historic building topped with copper statues of chariot-riding goddesses.

Stay on top of Detroit news and views. Sign up for our weekly issue newsletter delivered each Wednesday.

Tags: Detroit, drone, Old Wayne County Building, Reddit, Image

We welcome readers to submit letters regarding articles and content in Detroit Metro Times. Letters should be a minimum of 150 words, refer to content that has appeared on Detroit Metro Times, and must include the writer's full name, address, and phone number for verification purposes. No attachments will be considered. Writers of letters selected for publication will be notified via email. Letters may be edited and shortened for space.

Email us at letters@metrotimes.com.

Support Local Journalism.
Join the Detroit Metro Times Press Club

Local journalism is information. Information is power. And we believe everyone deserves access to accurate independent coverage of their community and state. Our readers helped us continue this coverage in 2020, and we are so grateful for the support.

Help us keep this coverage going in 2021. Whether it's a one-time acknowledgement of this article or an ongoing membership pledge, your support goes to local-based reporting from our small but mighty team.

Join the Metro Times Press Club for as little as $5 a month.