PACIFIC PALISADES, LOS ANGELES () — A water-dropping “super scooper” was grounded Thursday night after it was hit and damaged by a civilian drone, the Federal Aviation Administration said.
The aircraft was flying over the Palisades Fire, one of the most destructive of the Southern California fires, when it was struck. The drone reportedly left a football-sized hole in the wing of the plane.
The “super scooper” landed safely, though it remains out of service.
No injuries were reported.
It’s a federal crime to fly a drone in the middle of firefighting efforts and punishable by up to 12 months in prison.
The FAA can also impose a civil penalty of up to $75,000 against any drone pilot who interferes with wildfire suppression, law enforcement or emergency response operations when temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) are in place.
“The FAA treats these violations seriously and immediately considers swift enforcement action for these offenses,” said the agency in a statement. “The FAA has not authorized anyone unaffiliated with the Los Angeles firefighting operations to fly drones in the TFRs.”
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