Drones Over California Wildfires (Please Stop)!!!

[Bikerbill]

I am sure that these stupid drone operators that have interfered with the aerial operations in California are not members of this Blog. But one has to wonder how would our small private drones operate in the downdraft of a chopper.

 

[Chas2379]

I think from the point of view of the drone operator, they want to take pictures of the fire, just as photographers/journalist on the ground are taking pictures. Look at all the photos on that article. Someone will want their own photos, from a different view. And if it wasn't illegal, you would expect media organisations would be looking to buy those photos.
People are so used to taking pictures of everything and posting on social media; breakfast, lunch, different angles of their face 50x a day. Sad, but not surprising when people are becoming more narcissistic, and never think beyond what they want.
Depending on where and how high that drone is, I don't understand why firefighters need to stop their work. I doubt the drone would be right above the flames (the heat and updraft would've melted the drone), and firefighting planes are flying over the flames to try to put them out. And if the drone was really over the fire and the planes dump fire-retardant on the drone, it's not really a problem.

I see there a bit ignorance about wildfire firefighting operations. It's hard to believe someone is so ignorant to fly their drone over emergency operations. There are TFR's for these wildfires. 9/6074 NOTAM Details 9/5530 NOTAM Details
It says stay the hell out.

Unauthorized Drones Interrupt Efforts to Fight California Wildfire | The Weather Channel - Articles from The Weather Channel | weather.com

Efforts to stop the Maria Fire's spread were interrupted by an unwelcome guest. - Articles from The Weather Channel | weather.com

weather.com

The agency says that helicopters are especially vulnerable to drone intrusions.
"While helicopters engaged in firefighting operations are slower than the aerial supervision and retardant-dropping aircraft, the air movement dynamic created by the rotor system of a helicopter creates a unique collision hazard," according to the NIFC website. "A small drone can literally be sucked into the rotors of a helicopter.

 

[sar104]

I am sure that these stupid drone operators that have interfered with the aerial operations in California are not members of this Blog. But one has to wonder how would our small private drones operate in the downdraft of a chopper.

In the downdraft they would be blown away. That's not the problematic scenario.

 

[superstarpup]

None of this is surprising. No barriers to entry. Any idiot can buy one+no training to operate one= people who either don’t care about or have never heard of a TFR.

altitude and vlos restrictions are pretty simple to understand, and how many people on this forum boast that they aren’t something that applies to them?

 

[AMann]

I am sure that these stupid drone operators that have interfered with the aerial operations in California are not members of this Blog. But one has to wonder how would our small private drones operate in the downdraft of a chopper.

There’s a video on YT of a drone that interrupted a surfing shoot, a helicopter pilot pushed it down into the water with the downdraft from his chopper. Pretty dumb on the part of the chopper pilot, he was close to the water and hovering above the surfers- could have easily gone down into the sea with the drone due to getting caught in his own downdraft and having loss of lift in a situation called a vortex ring state.