
Yurie Manning
Jan 31, 2025
Incident Highlights Risks of Unauthorized Drone Use During Emergency Operations
On January 31, 2025, Peter Tripp Akemann, a 56-year-old resident of Culver City, California, agreed to plead guilty to unsafe operation of an unmanned aircraft. This charge stems from an incident during the Palisades Fire in Los Angeles, where Akemann's drone collided with a Canadair CL-415 "Super Scooper" firefighting aircraft. The collision caused a football-sized hole in the aircraft's wing, grounding it for several days during critical firefighting operations.
As part of the plea agreement, Akemann will avoid prison time but is required to pay $65,000 in restitution and complete 150 hours of community service. The Palisades Fire, which began on January 7, 2025, resulted in significant damage, destroying or damaging nearly 8,000 structures and burning approximately 36 square miles of land.
Authorities have emphasized the dangers of operating drones near active wildfires, noting that unauthorized drones can interfere with firefighting efforts and pose significant risks to both personnel and equipment. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has reiterated that flying drones in restricted airspace during emergencies is illegal and can result in severe penalties.
The drone that collided with the Canadair CL-415 "Super Scooper" firefighting aircraft during the Palisades Fire was identified as a DJI Mini. This compact quadcopter, weighing under 250 grams, is designed for personal and commercial aerial photography and videography. The collision caused a significant hole in the aircraft's wing, grounding it for repairs and temporarily halting aerial firefighting operations.
Culver City man agrees to plead guilty to crashing drone into 'Super Scooper' during Palisades Fire
Man Pleads Guilty to Drone Collision with Firefighting Aircraft
Man agrees to plead guilty for flying drone that damaged firefighting aircraft in LA wildfire
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