As some of the worst fires in area history raged in Los Angeles, Altadena, and Pasadena in January, two Super Scooper planes on loan from our Canadian neighbors flew down to help.
And then, despite the US Federal Aviation Administration issuing temporary flight restrictions in the area so that drones wouldn't interfere with the operations of first responder aircraft, we reported that some thoughtless individual had apparently crashed their drone into one of the Super Scoopers.
To close out the month, the US States Attorney's Office for the Central District of California officially announced that the operator of said drone has pleaded guilty to the offense. He's charged with a single count of unsafe operation of an unmanned aircraft, according to the official release.
It's a misdemeanor offense, which could also result in the operator serving up to a year in federal prison. He's also agreed to complete 150 hours of community service to support Southern California wildfire relief efforts, as well as pay both full restitution to the Government of Quebec (which supplied the plane), as well as the aircraft repair company that had to repair the approximately three-by-six-inch hole that the guy's drone ripped in the Super Scooper's left wing.
Repair bill total: at least $65,169, according to the State Attorney's Office. But we haven't named the drone operator yet, and we really should.
His name, according to official court records, is Peter Tripp Akemann. He lives in Culver City. But if you're a gamer, or have gamers in your family, chances are good you know at least some of the properties this guy has been involved with in his tech career.
Why? In addition to being That Guy Who Took Out A Super Scooper With His Drone (By Accident), he's also a UC Berkeley PhD who co-founded the gaming studio Treyarch.
If that name rings a bell, it's probably because you're familiar with the multi-platform Call of Duty series. Yes, that Treyarch. And incidentally, his career didn't stop with co-founding that gaming studio. After leaving Treyarch, Akemann also went on to become the president of Skydance Interactive, which produces both video games and virtual reality experiences for Skydance.
“This defendant recklessly flew an aircraft into airspace where first responders were risking their lives in an attempt to protect lives and property. 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. As this case demonstrates, we will track down drone operators who violate the law and interfere with the critical work of our first responders," Acting US Attorney Joseph T. McNally said in a statement.
The plea agreement states that Akemann parked on the top floor of a parking garage on the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica on January 9, while the fires were blazing all around. That's when he launched his drone, flying it at least 2,500 meters (over 1.5 miles) in the direction of the fire.
It's then that he reportedly lost sight of the drone, and it subsequently collided with the Super Scooper. An FBI investigation ensued, which was assisted by no less than four other agencies to gather all the facts pertinent to this case.
Why did this guy make the choices that he did? No one but him can know for sure. And really, it's probably safe to say that most people should know better, particularly since the FAA had already issued flight restrictions for exactly this reason.
But if you're a top video game industry guy, and you've been one for a huge chunk of your career, I think it's especially safe to say there's no good excuse.
