A roadside billboard warns of drone prohibition during the Palisades Fire.
A California man has pleaded guilty to recklessly operating a drone that collided with a Canadair CL-415 Super Scooper as it battled the Palisades Fire in Los Angeles in early January, the U.S. Justice Department announced.
Under a plea agreement, Peter Tripp Akemann, 56, of Culver City, California, agreed to compensate the provincial government of Quebec, which supplied the CL-415, and a company that repaired the aircraft, for $65,169 in costs. Akemann also agreed to complete 150 hr. of community service in support of the wildfire relief effort, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California said Jan. 31.
According to a court filing, Akemann drove to the Third Street Promenade, a shopping and dining complex in Santa Monica, during the Palisades Fire on Jan. 9 and parked his vehicle on the top floor of a parking garage. From there, he launched his DJI Mini 3 Pro quadcopter toward the wildfire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood west of downtown Los Angeles.
Akemann flew the drone more than 1.5 mi. before losing sight of the aircraft. The half-pound drone struck and damaged the CL-415, leaving a 3 X 6-in. hole in its left wing, as it battled the wildfire. The twin-turboprop amphibious water bomber, which had two crew onboard, landed safely at Van Nuys Airport. It was grounded for several days.
At the time of the collision, the FAA had implemented several temporary flight restriction (TFR) areas in Greater Los Angeles to protect aircraft battling multiple wildfires. Akemann faced up to 12 months in prison and a civil penalty of up to $75,000 for interfering with an emergency aircraft while a TFR was in place.
“This defendant recklessly flew an aircraft into airspace where first responders were risking their lives in an attempt to protect lives and property,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph T. McNally.
“This damage caused to the Super Scooper is a stark reminder that flying drones during times of emergency poses an extreme threat to personnel trying to help people and compromises the overall ability of police and fire to conduct operations,” McNally added. “As this case demonstrates, we will track down drone operators who violate the law and interfere with the critical work of our first responders.”
Akemann was identified by The Hollywood Reporter and other media as the former president of Skydance Interactive, a creator and publisher of immersive video games. His attorneys, Glen Jonas and Vicki I. Podberesky, provided BCA with a statement they issued on Akemann's behalf.
“Mr. Akemann is deeply sorry for the mistake he made by flying a drone near the boundary of the Palisades Fire area on Jan. 9, 2025, and for the resulting accident,” they wrote. “He accepts responsibility for his grave error in judgement and is cooperating with the government in an effort to make amends.”
The statement adds, “There are a number of mitigating factors that will come to light during the court proceedings, including Mr. Akemann’s reliance on the DJI Drone’s geofencing safeguard feature and the failure of that feature.”
The FBI investigated the drone collision with assistance from the U.S. Transportation Department Office of Inspector General, the FAA, the Los Angeles Fire Department and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
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