Summary
A drone collision grounded one of two Super Scooper planes battling Los Angeles wildfires, leaving a critical resource unavailable.
The collision damaged the aircraft’s wing, forcing its grounding, and temporarily paused other firefighting flights, creating significant delays.
The FAA emphasized the dangers of flying drones near wildfires, noting it’s a federal crime with penalties up to $75,000 and prison time.
Over 36,000 acres have burned, with officials warning that delays in air support allow wildfires to spread rapidly, endangering lives and property.
This is the only speculation laid out in the article around the operator:
Don’t drones broadcast identifying information? I’m surprised they aren’t able to find the operator.
I’m surprised the drone isn’t embedded into the wing.
Reminds me of the 4chan user who gave live updates of his bank robbery. People can’t help but publish their crimes for clout