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On January 9, 2025, a civilian drone struck a Canadair CL-415 Super Scooper operating near the Palisades Fire in Los Angeles County. The aircraft landed safely, but the impact damaged its wing and grounded it for repairs. The FAA investigated; a later FAA report said a California individual was charged in connection with unlawful drone operations that damaged the aircraft, but the available record here does not establish that person’s name or the case’s final outcome.
What happened to the Super Scooper?
The collision happened during aerial firefighting operations at the Palisades Fire. Contemporaneous reporting identified the aircraft as a CL-415 Super Scooper operated for the Los Angeles County Fire Department. It returned safely to land, but the drone struck its wing. The aircraft was taken out of service rather than destroyed; the FAA later described a football-sized hole in the left wing and said the aircraft was grounded for several days. (Contemporaneous report; FAA FY2025 report.)
A Super Scooper is an amphibious firefighting aircraft that can skim a suitable body of water to refill before dropping water on a fire. It works at low altitude, where an uncoordinated drone can occupy the same airspace. Losing one aircraft temporarily matters because it removes a specialized resource from the response. Contemporary coverage described the damaged plane as one of two Super Scoopers assigned to the Palisades operation; that is an incident-specific figure, not a claim that only two exist. (Contemporaneous report; Coverage on the response aircraft.)
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Why one drone can disrupt a much larger response
A collision is only the most visible risk. When a drone is reported near an active fire, pilots and incident managers may have to pause, reroute, or hold crewed aircraft until the airspace is considered safe. That can delay water or retardant drops even if the drone never hits anything. Small drones can be difficult for pilots to spot and track consistently amid smoke, terrain, and other aircraft; this is an operational challenge, not proof that detection is impossible.
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The scale of the problem around the Palisades Fire became clearer in the Los Angeles Fire Department’s later after-action review. It reported approximately 500 unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) detected within the temporary flight restriction (TFR), across 732 flights involving 419 unique drone IDs. Of those flights, 223 exceeded 400 feet above ground level and 90 took place at night. The report also describes multiple near-collisions and one UAS incursion that damaged a CL-415 wing. These totals cover the broader response; they are not the number of drones involved in the January 9 collision. (LAFD Palisades Fire After-Action Review.)
Were drones allowed in the fire area?
Not without authorization in restricted emergency airspace. The FAA can establish a TFR around a wildfire, and drone pilots must follow the restriction. The FAA says TFR information is published through Notices to Air Missions (NOTAMs); its guidance also explains that emergency and rescue operations, including wildfires, carry airspace restrictions. An ordinary recreational or commercial flight does not become permissible just because it stays below 400 feet. The 400-foot limit is not an exemption from a TFR. (FAA TFR guidance; FAA airspace restrictions.)
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During the Palisades response, CAL FIRE warned that flying a UAS amid firefighting operations was a federal offense, citing possible penalties of up to 12 months in prison and a fine of up to $75,000. Separately, the FAA’s wildfire toolkit says Congress authorized civil penalties of up to $20,000 for a drone pilot who interferes with wildfire suppression, law enforcement, or emergency-response operations. These figures describe different enforcement authorities and contexts; neither establishes the penalty imposed in this collision case. The outcome in any particular case depends on the allegations, applicable law, and facts. (CAL FIRE incident update; FAA wildfire toolkit.)
What is known about the investigation?
The FAA investigated the incident. Its FY2025 agency financial report later said a California individual had been charged in connection with unlawful drone operations that damaged an aircraft fighting the Palisades wildfire. That report describes the CL-415’s wing damage and several-day grounding, but the material available here does not identify the person, specify the criminal statute, or establish a plea, conviction, sentence, or fine. An FAA investigation and a criminal prosecution are separate processes; a charge is not proof of a conviction. (FAA incident statements; FAA FY2025 report.)
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What drone pilots should do near a wildfire
- Check current FAA airspace restrictions and NOTAMs before every flight. Conditions and restrictions can change quickly.
- Do not launch or continue flying near active firefighting, rescue, or law-enforcement aircraft. If emergency operations begin while your drone is airborne, land safely and promptly.
- Do not treat a consumer drone app, low altitude, or a recreational-flight rule as permission to enter restricted airspace.
- If a public-safety, disaster-relief, or media mission genuinely requires a drone, obtain the required FAA authorization and coordinate with the controlling agency. FAA guidance describes approval procedures, including the Special Governmental Interest process for qualifying emergency operations. (FAA TFR and authorization guidance.)
The incident’s core lesson is straightforward: a drone does not have to bring down an aircraft to impair firefighting. A collision can ground a scarce aircraft, while other drone sightings can disrupt flight operations across the response. The CL-415 landed safely and was grounded temporarily, but the broader Palisades record shows why unauthorized flights in emergency airspace put both crews and people on the ground at risk.
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