On January 9, 2025, a serious incident occurred involving a drone and a firefighting aircraft in Santa Monica, California. Peter Akemann, a resident of Culver City, California, pleaded guilty to operating a drone unsafely, which led to a collision with a Canadair CL-415 Super Scooper water bomber.
Akemann launched his DJI Mini 3 Pro drone from a parking structure near Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade to observe the damage caused by the Palisades Fire. Despite temporary flight restrictions in place, he proceeded with the flight, eventually losing sight of the drone. The drone collided with the Canadair CL-415 Super Scooper, causing significant damage to the aircraft and rendering it out of service at a critical time in the battle against the wildfire.
As part of his plea agreement, Akemann agreed to pay $65,169.55 in damages to cover the repair costs for the water bomber. In addition to the financial restitution, he is required to complete 150 hours of community service supporting wildfire relief efforts. The court may also impose additional restitution based on the full extent of the damages incurred.
This incident underscores the importance of adhering to flight restrictions, particularly during emergency situations. Unauthorized drone flights pose a significant risk to manned aircraft, emergency personnel, and the overall effectiveness of disaster response efforts.
The collision not only resulted in financia and operational setbacks but also endangered the lives of the aircraft's crew and potentially impacted the firefighting efforts.
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