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After a drone reportedly struck a Super Scooper firefighting airplane over the Pacific Palisades fire in Southern California, authorities say other drones have also interfered with firefighters’ efforts. With multiple drones over the Palisades recently, aircraft which have been used to drop water and retardant on the flames below were forced to leave the area.
See the wildfire devastation from the ground in this shocking videos.
Authorities said front line firefighters were angry the drones hampered their efforts, reports the Los Angeles Times. “This is not just harmless fun. This is incredibly dangerous,” Chris Thomas, public information officer for the Palisades fire, told the Times.
The incident with multiple drones over the fire in the Pacific Palisades happened on Friday, January 10. The Federal Aviation Administration reportedly is investigating the incident and law enforcement is also in the loop. In other words, those drone pilots could find themselves facing discovery and justice for their interference.
Drone operators should already know the FAA has issued temporary flight restrictions around all the major fires in Southern California, a standard procedure in emergencies. Not only could violators earn a 12-month stay in federal prison, the FAA can hit them with up to $75,000 in civil penalties.
What’s more, the FBI is now involved in the investigation of the drone which allegedly damaged the Super Scooper’s wing last week after the two reportedly collided. The federal agency is also deploying Aerial Armor, which is a counterdone system, to keep civilian drones out of the firefighting zones.
Allegedly, the drone that hit the Super Scooper airplane punched a fist-sized hole in the wing. Although people have voiced skepticism after images of the drone pieces recovered by authorities were shown to the public since the drone likely weighs little.
Fueling the controversy over stories of drones interfering in firefighting efforts are some in the industry as well as hobbyists who believe these are being used to build public support for some sort of bans on private drone use. In fact, the National Defense Authorization Act includes items which could affect private drone use. Among those voicing concerns is DJI, the largest manufacturer of drones in the world, saying in an official statement it has “several initial concerns” with how the legislation is currently written.
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