FBI investigating illegal drone operations that continue to disrupt firefighting aircraft

Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times on Jan 11, 2025

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LOS ANGELES — Authorities detected more than 30 drones in the restricted airspace around the Palisades fire between Friday and Saturday, Los Angeles County Fire Department spokesperson Sheila Kelliher said Saturday.

“When a drone is detected near manned firefighting aircraft, operations must be suspended,“ she said. “This disruption compromises structure defense and critical lifesaving efforts.”

Drone detection sensors and software can identify pilots who fly illegally, Kelliher said. Additionally, the FBI is assisting in tracking them down.

An FBI investigation began after a Super Scooper firefighting aircraft collided with a drone Thursday and was grounded for repairs, depriving the firefighting effort of a major tool.

The Canadian Super Scooper was left with a 3-inch-by-6-inch hole in its wing after it collided with a personally owned drone, said Akil Davis, assistant director of the FBI’s Los Angeles field office.

Fixed-wing aircraft like the Super Scooper represent “our No. 1 tool in fighting these fires,” Davis said. The drone pilot who grounded the plane may have caused “significant loss of property but also potential loss of life,” he said.

The FBI was aware of social media posts by pilots apparently flouting the restrictions, he said, noting that flying a drone during a temporary flight restriction is a federal crime.

In 2020, the FBI arrested an operator after his drone collided with an on-duty LAPD helicopter, Davis said.

Now, the agency is on the lookout for those who are hampering firefighting efforts against L.A. County’s fires, conducting an investigation into who is flying the drones and operating ground intercept teams composed of FBI agents and members of local law enforcement.