FBI searching for drone operator that damaged firefighting water scooper plane in Los Angeles
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The FAA said even if there are no temporary flight restrictions in place, drone operators should not be flying the craft near wildfires. The FBI has released photos of a Super Scooper firefighting plane that was damaged when it collided with a drone that someone was flying near the site of the Los Angeles wildfires.
![[A hole in the wing of a Canadian Super Scooper airplane that was made when the aircraft hit a privately-owned drone operating in restricted airspace near the Los Angeles wildfires]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/12/19/newFile-5.jpg)
Akil Davis, the assistant director in charge of the FBI's LA field office, said on Saturday that whoever flew the drone put people's lives in danger. Super Scooper planes fly low and pick up water, which is then dumped over wildfires. The FAA has restricted the airspace over the wildfires to prevent danger to the public and the firefighters and law enforcement operating in the area.
Even with the restrictions in place, people are still flying drones in the region. Videos captured by drones of destroyed neighborhoods and raging fires have been shared on social media, but could get the pilots jail time. "Our biggest concern is that there are so many unauthorized drones in the area that they are impacting law enforcement and firefighters' efforts to suppress this fire and actually get it contained," Davis said.
In the meantime, investigators are trying to find the owner of the drone that hit the Canadian aircraft. "We'll work backwards through investigative means to try and recreate that drone and figure out what company owns that drone and who it was assigned to," Davis said.
