Manhunt for pilot

Los Angeles: Firefighting plane collides with drone

Canada is supporting the Los Angeles Fire Department with two so-called Super Scoopers.(Bild: APA/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA)

In order to record the extent of the damage caused by the devastating forest fires in the Los Angeles area, not only the responsible authorities but also many amateur pilots are flying their drones over the disaster area. Following a collision with a firefighting aircraft, a search is now underway for one such drone owner.

The FAA is already investigating the incident in the air. One of two firefighting planes from Canada, which was operating over the largest of the five forest fires, was hit by a drone and reportedly had to land immediately. "One of the wings was perforated," explained Los Angeles Fire Chief Anthony Marrone on Thursday.

This aircraft sprays flame retardant to prevent the flames from spreading further.(Bild: APA/AFP/David Swanson)

The FAA stated in a statement: "It is a felony to obstruct a firefighting operation on public property. It is punishable by up to twelve months in prison." The pilot of the ill-fated drone also faces a fine of up to 75,000 US dollars (around 73,000 euros). The authority emphasized that there is currently no authorization for drone flights outside the jurisdiction of the fire department.

FBI now wants to prevent further drone flights
According to a report in the Los Angeles Times, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) now wants to set up a kind of "air shield" to prevent such incidents from happening again. There were no specific details as to what this measure would look like.

Apparently, the threat of punishment is now causing fear among drone owners who have already posted their own footage on social media. This is because some of them have removed their work.