A California man has agreed to pay more than $65,000 in restitution and faces up to a year in federal prison for operating a drone that collided with a firefighting aircraft during the early days of the Palisades Fire. Prosecutors announced on Friday that Peter Akemann, 56, of Culver City, has agreed to plead guilty to one count of unsafe operation of an unmanned aircraft for the January 9 drone collision, which damaged a Canadian “super scooper” and took it out of commission for several days amid the devastating fire.
According to federal prosecutors in Los Angeles, Akemann admitted in the plea agreement that his reckless operation of the drone interfered with the firefighting aircraft’s operations and posed an imminent safety hazard to the two-person crew. The collision caused an approximately 3-inch-by-6-inch hole in the aircraft’s left wing. The aircraft, designed to scoop water from bodies of water and drop it on fires, was able to land safely but was taken out of service for approximately five days for repairs.
“We’re in the largest wildfire ever to hit Southern California. We need all the planes that we can have at the time. And now we have one down for five days,” acting U.S. Attorney Joseph McNally said during a press briefing. “That has a real impact on operations.”
Investigators recovered parts of the damaged drone and traced them to a specific drone, which led them to Akemann. He had launched the drone from the top of a parking garage in Santa Monica out of curiosity to observe the wildfire damage but lost sight of it after it flew about 1.5 miles. The Federal Aviation Administration had issued temporary flight restrictions at the time, prohibiting drone operations near the Los Angeles County wildfires.
There is no evidence that the collision was intentional, according to FBI Assistant Director in Charge Akil Davis. McNally emphasized the importance of deterrence, stating, “If you fly a drone around wildfires and you do so recklessly, law enforcement is going to find you and we’re going to hold you accountable.”
Akemann has not yet entered a guilty plea but is expected to appear in court soon. His attorneys, Vicki Podberesky and Glen Jonas, issued a statement saying, “Mr. Akemann is deeply sorry for the mistake he made by flying a drone near the boundary of the Palisades fire area on January 9, 2025, and for the resulting accident. He accepts responsibility for his grave error in judgment and is cooperating with the government in an effort to make amends.”
As part of the plea agreement, Akemann has agreed to pay full restitution to the government of Quebec, which supplied the super scooper, and the company that repaired the plane. The restitution is estimated to be at least $65,169. He has also agreed to complete 150 hours of community service in support of the Southern California wildfire relief effort.
The misdemeanor offense carries a prison sentence of up to one year in federal prison. Any prison sentence will ultimately be determined by a judge. McNally highlighted the importance of Akemann’s agreement to plead guilty and accept responsibility.
Akemann’s attorneys noted that there are a “number of mitigating factors” that will be brought up in court, including his “reliance on the DJI Drone’s geo-fencing safeguard feature and the failure of that feature.”
The Palisades Fire ignited on January 7 and has burned more than 23,400 acres in Los Angeles County. It is now 98% contained, according to Cal Fire. Nearly 8,000 structures are estimated to have been damaged or destroyed by the fire. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
As the region continues to recover from the devastating wildfire, this incident serves as a reminder of the importance of adhering to flight restrictions and operating drones safely. The legal consequences faced by Akemann underscore the serious impact that reckless drone operations can have on firefighting efforts and public safety.
