Battle Underway in California to Keep Drones Out of Blaze-Affected Zones

Fire officials have reported 'multiple, unauthorized drones' within the TFRs, according to the FAA.

Monday, January 13, 2025 at 05:30 PM ET

Verified

An unauthorized drone punched a fist-sized hole in a Bombardier Canadair CL-415 Super Scooper battling wildfires in California on Thursday. [Courtesy: Los Angeles County Fire Department]

Key Takeaways:

An unauthorized drone damaged a "Super Scooper" firefighting aircraft tackling Los Angeles-area wildfires, forcing its grounding and a temporary halt to all aerial suppression efforts for the Palisades Fire.
Authorities like the FAA and CAL FIRE issued a stark warning, "If you fly, we can't," highlighting that drones pose a significant danger to firefighting planes and personnel, leading to the suspension of critical aerial operations.
Despite temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) and severe penalties including fines up to $75,000 and jail time, multiple unauthorized drones continue to be reported in wildfire zones, with several arrests already made.

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The FAA, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), and other authorities have a simple but urgent message for drone pilots in the Los Angeles area: “If you fly, we can’t.”

The warning comes after an unauthorized drone punched a fist-sized hole in a Bombardier Canadair CL-415 firefighting aircraft, also known as a “Super Scooper,” that was dousing Los Angeles-area wildfires on Thursday. The aircraft landed safely, the FAA said. But CAL FIRE told The War Zone that the collision prompted a temporary grounding of all aircraft responding to the Palisades Fire. The FBI is searching for the drone pilot and has shared photos of the recovered drone.

Jack Daleo

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.