Western Railroad Discussion > Dummy Caught Who Flew Drone Into Fire Fighting Plane (OT)

FBI caught the idiot who was flying a drone over a fire that collided with a Super Scooper fire fighting plane:https://fireaviation.com/2025/02/02/guilty-plea-to-recklessly-crashing-drone-into-firefighting-aircraft-at-palisades/

James Nelson
Thornton, CO
www.flickr.com/mojaveflyer

He gets to pay the actual cost of repairs which according to a couple LA TV stations was about $69,000 plus he has reimburse the Province of Quebec too.
And he's still facing up to a year in Federal prison.

Hopefully he'll get to do all of that....

James Nelson
Thornton, CO
www.flickr.com/mojaveflyer

A message for those who fly drones near wildfires.

mapboy

mapboy Wrote:
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> A message for those who fly drones near
> wildfires.

A message for anyone who flies drones.

I fly one of the popular (and demonized by some) DJI drones. It has GPS and therefore “knows” where it is. As a result, if I’m near a sensitive airspace, say a small airport like Blue Canyon (MAYBE 1 or 2 flights a week- in the summer) I get a heads up and a waiver to sign-off on before I can even start the motors to fly.
Near a much larger airport or other restricted airspace the drone will simply play dead. I can’t fly.
About a year ago there was a fire about 10mi away, getting air support. The Forest Service put up a temporary 15mi 30day No Fly Zone around the fire.
My drone was dead to me inside that circle.
I’m wondering how this guy was even flying in the first place! Did he have a drone without GPS? Did he purposely circumvent the drone’s built in safety measures? Do drones other than DJI’s not have these things?
IDK
SR

BTW: At any time I can download a log of every flight I’ve ever made with my drone from DJI. The FAA is watching! I’m thinking it wasn’t really a surprise he was caught.

Just Google "disable GPS on DJI drone"... Unfortunately like the millions of modified/tampered/unlicensed firearms out there, there are potentially millions of modified/tampered/unlicensed UAVs "drones" as well.


~ Mr. MRL

I'm surprised they don't have killer drones to launch when they detect an illegal drone flight that will take down that drone.

mapboy

mapboy Wrote:
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> I'm surprised they don't have killer drones to
> launch when they detect an illegal drone flight
> that will take down that drone.
>
> mapboy

The opertive word is "detect", not that easy to do especially when you have disabled the GPS on the drone.

MrMRL Wrote:
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> Just Google "disable GPS on DJI drone"...
> Unfortunately like the millions of
> modified/tampered/unlicensed firearms out there,
> there are potentially millions of
> modified/tampered/unlicensed UAVs "drones" as
> well.
>
>
> ~ Mr. MRL

Speaking of modified and tampered...ever wonder why the CB radios on long-haul trucks seem to have such extraordinary range?  Hmmmm.....