Summary
A drone collision grounded one of two Super Scooper planes battling Los Angeles wildfires, leaving a critical resource unavailable.
The collision damaged the aircraft’s wing, forcing its grounding, and temporarily paused other firefighting flights, creating significant delays.
The FAA emphasized the dangers of flying drones near wildfires, noting it’s a federal crime with penalties up to $75,000 and prison time.
Over 36,000 acres have burned, with officials warning that delays in air support allow wildfires to spread rapidly, endangering lives and property.
My money’s on it being LAPD. A cop would have just the attitude needed to think the rules don’t apply to them.
I don’t know about the states, but in the UK. A police force decided to operate a drone for their own use. The CAA tried to politely educate them on the rules, and were, effectively told to eff off. A £35,000 ($43,000) fine was quite an effective slap on the wrist.