Overview

• Peter Tripp Akemann, 57, received 14 days in federal prison and 30 days of home detention after pleading guilty to unsafe operation of an unmanned aircraft.
• He was ordered to pay about $156,000 in restitution and fines and to complete 150 hours of community service supporting wildfire relief.
• Prosecutors say he launched a drone from Santa Monica on Jan. 9, flew it toward the blaze, lost contact, and it struck Quebec 1, creating a roughly 3-by-6-inch hole in the left wing.
• The collision grounded the Super Scooper for repairs, with the government of Quebec and a repair firm incurring at least $65,169 in costs before the aircraft returned to service.
• Authorities noted FAA temporary flight restrictions were in effect over the fire zone and reiterated that interfering with emergency air operations is a criminal offense.