Firefighting aircraft grounded after striking a drone over the Palisades Fire

This particular plane was not the one involved in the incident, but it shows the capacity of the SuperScooper. Photo: De Havilland Canada

A civilian drone collided with a firefighting airplane flying over the Palisades fire in California on Thursday, prompting the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to launch an investigation. While the airplane in question, the Quebec 1, landed safely with no injuries reported, the collision resulted in a large hole in its wing, leaving it grounded and out of commission at a time when all resources are needed.

Image: L.A. County Fire Department

The strike also resulted in all planes being grounded for nearly a half hour on Thursday while officials ensured skies were clear, as Christopher Thomas, a spokesperson with the California state firefighting agency, Cal Fire, told CBC. "We all know how fast a fire can travel in half an hour. So this is a seriously dangerous situation because now that fire is able to go a little more unchecked," he said.

The Quebec 1 is a Canadian CL-415 “Super Scooper,” an aircraft specifically designed to scoop up more than 1,500 gallons of water to drop on fires. The drone that struck the Quebec 1 was flying illegally in restricted airspace and was destroyed in the collision. As of yet, there are no details about who was flying the drone, but the FAA is investigating.

The FAA issued a statement about the incident, warning of consequences for flying drones in such situations. “It’s a federal crime, punishable by up to 12 months in prison, to interfere with firefighting efforts on public lands,” the statement said. “Additionally, the FAA can impose a civil penalty of up to $75,000 against any drone pilot who interferes with wildfire suppression, law enforcement or emergency response operations” during a temporary flight restriction.

To prevent further incidents, L.A. County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said the FBI is planning to come to the area with “aerial armor.” The FAA also noted that there are several Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) in the Los Angeles area to protect firefighting aircraft. Its statement reiterated that “all other aircraft, including drones, are prohibited from flying in TFRs unless they receive authorization.”