A drone collided with a firefighting aircraft over the Palisades fire. The FAA has confirmed the incident, raising serious concerns about safety and interference with wildfire suppression efforts.
This is incredibly dangerous. While no one was hurt this time, grounding the plane could significantly hinder firefighting efforts. The person flying that drone could have indirectly caused severe harm. If you’re in LA, please keep your drones grounded during these emergencies. Lives are more important than social media posts.
@Jensen
Grounding the plane can absolutely lead to loss of life if the fire spreads unchecked. The drone pilot needs to face serious consequences for this.
@Jensen
LA is a massive city, though.
They should face a $50k fine and cover the repair costs for the plane.
Elliot said:
They should face a $50k fine and cover the repair costs for the plane.
That repair bill could be huge. CL-415 aircraft cost upwards of $35 million. This isn’t a small mistake.
@Max
Thankfully, the pilots landed safely, but losing a plane like this is a big deal. Quebec only has 14, and all are critical during fire season.
Elliot said:
They should face a $50k fine and cover the repair costs for the plane.
Forget the fine—give them jail time. Six months would be fitting.
This is maddening. Fighting the fire is more important than getting some video footage for social media.
Wes said:
This is maddening. Fighting the fire is more important than getting some video footage for social media.
I fly drones as a hobby, and it’s infuriating to see people misuse them like this. Drones are not toys anymore, and people need to respect airspace rules. Prison time for offenders might be the only way to make this stop.
The person responsible for this should face maximum penalties. It’s reckless and endangers so many lives.
Irresponsible drone use will only lead to stricter regulations. We need better enforcement to stop these incidents.
Mason said:
Irresponsible drone use will only lead to stricter regulations. We need better enforcement to stop these incidents.
As someone who works in air traffic control, I fully support stricter rules. We’re dealing with unauthorized drones far too often, and it’s a constant headache.
From the FAA: ‘It’s a federal crime, punishable by up to 12 months in prison, to interfere with firefighting efforts on public lands. Additionally, drone pilots can face civil penalties up to $75,000 for interfering with emergency operations.’
Drones are too easy to get. If people had to assemble them and learn basic aerodynamics, we’d see fewer irresponsible users. The pilot here should face heavy fines and jail time.
Super Scoopers like this one are invaluable during fire season. One Ontario crew managed to deliver 162,000 gallons of water in just four hours during a past mission. Losing a plane like this is a huge setback.
If you see drone footage from the fires on social media, report it. These pilots need to be held accountable.
We all love flying drones, but this is not the time or place. That pilot grounded a critical aircraft, which could have saved lives and property. I hope the government enforces the law to its fullest extent.