Canadair firefighting aircraft involved in drone collision to return to service

A Canadair firefighting aircraft that collided with a private drone has been repaired and will return to service, California fire officials announced. 

During a press conference on January 13, 2025, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone informed local reporters that the aircraft was urgently repaired. It will resume operations after an inspection by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). 

The Canadair CL-415 ‘Super Scooper’ may be back in the skies from January 14, 2025, according to a report by Scripps News.  

The ‘Super Scooper’ was grounded on January 9, 2025, after it hit a drone while battling the massive Palisades fire in Los Angeles. The crash left a three-inch-by-six-inch hole in the aircraft’s wing. Since then, the aircraft has been out of service. News of the grounding was announced on X by Erik Scott, Paramedic- Public Information Officer for Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD). 

The collision is still under investigation by multiple agencies, including the FAA. Additionally, FBI investigators are searching for the operator of a private drone. 

So far, three people have been arrested for the unauthorized use of two drones in the area of the fires, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. However, it is unclear if any of these arrests are related to the collision, Scripps News reported. 

Fire officials are urging the public not to fly drones over areas affected by wildfires, warning that unauthorized drones are disrupting firefighting efforts in LA County. 

Do Not Fly #Drones Anywhere Near #PalisadesFireIt is very simple. Stop. If you fly a drone….we can not fly. @LACOFD @LAPDHQ @LASDHQ @FBILosAngeles @UnifiedLA #LAFD pic.twitter.com/hdZTefDJ7B— #LAFD Talk (@LAFDtalk) January 14, 2025 The FAA reminded the public that it is a federal crime to interfere with firefighting efforts on public lands. The regulator can impose a civil penalty of up to $75,000 against any drone pilot who interferes with wildfire suppression. 

Flag warnings remain in effect in LA County due to damaging winds (55–70 mph) and low humidity creating extreme fire danger, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection announced on X. 

Gavin Newsom, Governor of California, announced that currently many resources continue to fight the Los Angeles wildfires. This includes 15,066 firefighting personnel, 2,400 California National Guard members, and 83 firefighting aircraft. The post Canadair firefighting aircraft involved in drone collision to return to service appeared first on AeroTime.

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