Firefighting Aircraft Grounded in Southern California After Drone Strike

FAA launches an investigation after a civilian UAS damages a 'Super Scooper' air tanker wing.

Meg Godlewski

Friday, January 10, 2025 at 11:42 AM ET

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Edited By:

Kimberly Johnson

The Bombardier Canadair CL-415 "Super Scooper" was able to land after it was hit by the drone around 1 p.m. PST., according to fire officials. [Courtesy: Los Angeles County Fire Department/ Twitter]

Key Takeaways:

A "Super Scooper" firefighting aircraft was grounded after being struck and damaged by a civilian drone over the Palisades Fire in Southern California.
The drone strike caused wing damage, rendering the aircraft unairworthy and highlighting the critical danger posed by drones to essential aerial firefighting operations.
Flying drones near wildfires is a federal crime with severe penalties, as it can jeopardize lives and force the grounding of aircraft needed to combat significant blazes like the ongoing Southern California wildfires.

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A firefighting aircraft deployed to respond to ongoing Southern California wildfires was grounded Thursday after it was struck and damaged by a civilian drone while over the Palisades Fire, according to fire officials.

The Bombardier Canadair CL-415 “Super Scooper” was able to land after it was hit by the drone around 1 p.m. PST. However, a hole in its wing rendered it unairworthy, Los Angeles County Fire Department confirmed in a post on X.