back to article Call of Duty studio co-founder pleads guilty to crashing drone into firefighting aircraft

A Culver City, California resident has admitted to crashing his drone into a 'Super Scooper' firefighting aircraft battling the Los Angeles wildfires. His guilty plea spares him up to a year in prison, according to the Department of Justice. Peter Tripp Akemann pleaded guilty to one count of unsafe operation of an unmanned …

  1. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

    "Not only is he one of the founders of game developer Treyarch, which was acquired by Activision and became one of the studios behind the Call of Duty franchise, but he's also the president of Skydance Interactive, a Skydance Media subsidiary that develops VR apps and video games for the media giant. Oh - and Akemann also holds a PhD in mathematics from UC Berkeley."

    But a bit short in the common sense department.

    1. Like a badger

      So essentially he's a rich twat who does stupid things without thinking about the consequences.

      1. jake Silver badge

        "So essentially he's a rich twat who does stupid things without thinking about the consequences."

        Probably angling for a spot in the trump cabinet. He sounds eminently qualified.

        1. Evil Auditor Silver badge

          I'm sorry that you have to put up with another stinky stint of Diaper Donnie.

          1. Tilda Rice

            Give it a rest. This has nowt to do with Donald Trump. Honeslty please for the love of everything thats holy stop this childish insertion of Trump into everything. It was funny seeing people suffering from TDS at first, but now its just boring. Please go outside and touch grass.

    2. Throatwarbler Mangrove Silver badge
      Trollface

      "But a bit short in the common sense department."

      That was implied by the PhD in mathematics.

      1. Eclectic Man Silver badge
        Joke

        HEY!!!

        I 've got a PhD in math...

        [Considers sad, lonely life]

        oh.

    3. MachDiamond Silver badge

      "But a bit short in the common sense department."

      As a Part 107 certificate holder (drone license), the situation is one that's covered in the lessons to pass the test. I've seen plenty of people comment that a widdle bitty drone won't do anything to a big manly airplane. I expect this person is just a recreational flyer and not licensed for commercial flights, but good bog, a tiny bit of thought would have sufficed to not be a total prat.

  2. anothercynic Silver badge

    Another pasty doughboy avoiding jail... Should've gone to the clink IMO.

    Stupidity deserves that.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      And because the fine will be peanuts to him.

    2. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

      He didn't even get charged with the cost of repairs. Maybe that's a separate civil suit.

      1. Fruit and Nutcase Silver badge

        The cost of the repairs is implied...

        In exchange for pleading guilty, Akemann has been ordered to complete 150 hours of community service in support of wildfire relief, and pay full restitution to the Government of Quebec and the aircraft repair company for the damage caused.

        1. Doctor Syntax Silver badge
    3. ian 22

      There are far too many pillocks flying these things in an unsafe manner.

      Throw the book at him and make him example Pour encourager les autres.

    4. Wang Cores

      Should have been thrown on a chain gang to build firebreaks.

    5. MachDiamond Silver badge

      "Should've gone to the clink IMO."

      If this pasty doughboy has any money, he could be fined with the funds going into the "buy another Super Scooper" kitty. A little plaque could go inside with 'My stupidity led to me having to pay for a good chunk of this aircraft".

    6. SundogUK Silver badge

      Not sure what "pasty doughboy" has got to do with it. He's an arrogant, self obsessed twat who should be doing time for putting lives at risk and interfering with the emergency services.

  3. Luiz Abdala
    FAIL

    Ironically...

    ... the firefighters themselves could be using a drone to map the most critical spots for fires, maybe even relay temperature readings or atmospheric composition, wind patterns, and a host of other intel that would cost much more to gather with manned aircraft.

    1. Throatwarbler Mangrove Silver badge
      FAIL

      Re: Ironically...

      How do you know they're not doing that?

    2. anothercynic Silver badge

      Re: Ironically...

      The firefighters would know where their drone is, and they'd keep it out of the path of a firefighting aircraft.

      But doughboy here didn't use the brain he had... and damaged an aircraft (and endangered not just the crew on board, but also the firefighters on the ground).

      That in itself should be instant jail time... and maybe some time on the firefighting line along with those prisoners who end up doing that hard work alongside career firefighters.

    3. jake Silver badge

      Re: Ironically...

      They do all that already (and satellite data, high altitude overflights, etc.).

      This amateur twat did nothing but get in the way of professionals, in search of his own personal glory.

      What a thing to forever have on your resume/CV ...

    4. Philo T Farnsworth Silver badge

      Re: Ironically...

      Good grief.

      The temerity of the above comment is beyond belief. To call it untoward and irksome barely moves the needle.

      Unless you show me that you've gone through the training and have the experience, just blinking keep your blinking yap shut.

      A number of years ago, a California Division of Forestry firefighter in my close acquainence lost several of his colleagues due to an unexpected wind change in a mountainous region, fighting a blaze to protect people and property of the citizens of this state.

      I'm personally still vertical and typing these words because of the quick actions of my local firefighters and EMTs in a separate incident.

      You DO NOT second guess these brave and dedicated men and women in my presence. No freaking way.

      Take a long walk off a short pier.

  4. spireite Silver badge

    Canada tariffs....

    Can you imagine if Trump tarriffed them during the California wildfires, and they withheld their aircraft ?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Canada tariffs....

      Imagine?

      Trumps busy trying to flood California to "fix" low water pressure for firefighters (hint: increasing the water supply doesn't address poor water pressure caused by infrastructure damaged by fire) and will likely compound California's summer water problems.

      Never underestimate Mango Mussolini's ability to fail to comprehend a problem.

      1. jake Silver badge

        Re: Canada tariffs....

        Fact: California's reservoirs in the fire zones were near full. More water wouldn't have helped.

        Always check EVERYTHING the trump says. He lies. About everything. Seemingly for no reason at all. For example, after four hard(?) days at the office last week, he headed for Florida for some well-deserved(?) R&R. When asked by a reporter if he was going to be playing golf, he answered "No, I'll be too busy". And promptly played golf three days in a row.

        WTF? Why lie about something as daft as THAT? Honestly, WHAT THE FUCK‽‽‽ He clearly has mental problems.

        1. Anonymous Coward Silver badge
          Trollface

          Re: Canada tariffs....

          No no no, you misunderstand. Other people play golf; Trump wins at golf. He's not playing. Play implies someone who doesn't really know what they're doing. Trump is the best golfist to ever exist, any other claimants to that title are clearly the liars.

          1. jake Silver badge

            Re: Canada tariffs....

            "Other people play golf; Trump cheats at golf."

            FTFY

          2. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: Canada tariffs....

            Trump wins at golf?

            One of Trumps golfing nicknames is Pele because he kicks the ball to get a better shot so often. The times he has won competitions at his own clubs where he submits scores from rounds outside the competition window that no one is able to verify is common.

            1. Anonymous Coward Silver badge
              Facepalm

              Re: Canada tariffs....

              If we're taking it seriously (really not advised, given the clear sarcasm in my post) golf is much like a casino - the only way to win is to be the house. Trump may be shit at the game but he owns enough courses to come out on top.

      2. jake Silver badge

        Re: Canada tariffs....

        It's worse than that.

        He's releasing water from the federally managed Central Valley Project's reservoirs ... NONE of which is connected to the LA basin that Trump claims he's saving from another fire.

        But wait, it gets worse. This is the water that is saved to irrigate crops in the Central Valley during the summer. Without it, they will die.

        Note that these crops are not the commodity "corn and (soy)beans", as grown in the midwest. This is the nation's vegetable garden. People food.

        Also note that most of this sudden dump will run off into Pacific, when it's done flooding downstream. The ground will not soak it up because of the rain we've had in those locations over the last couple months. So the trump-dump is both causing damage, and going to waste.

        In a nutshell, Trump is wrecking the livelihood, and possibly the infrastructure, of the largest block of Californians who voted for him, just to satisfy his own bloated ego.

        The Republicans are eating their own. Remember that come the midterms, farmers.

        1. CA Dave

          Re: Canada tariffs....

          So basically Chump wants to wreck the most important economy in the Nation even more than he did with his unconstitutional federal funds freeze.

          Yes the Reds will suffer first, but as CA goes, the rest of the nation will tumble horribly with it.

          1. jake Silver badge

            Re: Canada tariffs....

            Yep. We're fucked.

            UNLESS the republicans in the House and Senate actually manage to grow a pair and do their job ... i.e. work for their constituents instead of trump and themselves (in that order). In theory they swore an oath to the Constitution, not to trump. Let's see how they want to go down in history ...

            1. disgruntled yank Silver badge

              Re: Canada tariffs....

              @jake

              Why do you think MAGA world is so down on gender-affirming care? (Though actually the women of the Senate Republican Caucus have shown the ability to stand up and do their duty.)

              1. jake Silver badge

                Re: Canada tariffs....

                "Why do you think MAGA world is so down on gender-affirming care?"

                Give that MAGA cult members are incapable of a thought of their own, as near as I can tell it is because they've been told to think that way by the highly conservative multi-media preacher of their choice.

                Which I'll admit is just kicking the can down the road.

                Said HCMMP needs someone for their listeners to fear and hate, preferably someone who can't or won't fight back. Titillation and fear of the unknown a plus; brings the rubes back in droves. Couple that with the fake "family values" (which is anything but), and the equally silly "one man and one woman" nonsense, and they have a recipe that brings in the big bucks. The old US vs THEM thing is a tried and true formula.

                And the big bucks attracts the trumps, of course ...

            2. Evil Auditor Silver badge

              Re: Canada tariffs....

              In theory they swore an oath to the Constitution, not to trump

              And in practice? Seeing what kind of chamber of horrors Diaper Donnie has gathered, I doubt that they even know the constitution - beyond their interpretation of the First and Second Amendments.

      3. Missing Semicolon Silver badge

        Re: Canada tariffs....

        https://www.nbclosangeles.com/investigations/outside-investigations-to-examine-ladwps-empty-reservoir-during-palisades-fire/3617569/

        https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-01-22/why-has-a-reservoir-in-palisades-stood-empty-for-a-year

        https://www.cbsnews.com/news/la-fires-santa-ynez-reservoir-pacific-palisades-california/

        The hydrants ran dry, for various reasons. You build next to fire canyons, you need effective fire response resources.

    2. jake Silver badge

      Re: Canada tariffs....

      "if Trump tarriffed them during the California wildfires"

      Those fires aren't fully contained as yet.

      "and they withheld their aircraft ?"

      I hope they do in the (near) future. Not that trump and his ilk would give a shit ... but mid-terms are coming.

      I'm a Californian.

    3. Old Used Programmer

      Re: Canada tariffs....

      The Canadians appear to be tailoring their counter-tariffs to go after goods from red states....of which California is not one.

      1. jake Silver badge

        Re: Canada tariffs....

        Trump's policies are going to hit the red states earliest, and hardest.

        Don't take my word for it, ask a real, honest economist. Or ten.

      2. collinsl Silver badge

        Re: Canada tariffs....

        There's easier things to target which aren't as ethically dubious and which will have a much more widespread impact, such as placing tariffs on lumber or oil or natural gas or even electricity.

        1. MachDiamond Silver badge

          Re: Canada tariffs....

          "There's easier things to target which aren't as ethically dubious and which will have a much more widespread impact, such as placing tariffs on lumber or oil or natural gas or even electricity."

          Oh, so you live in California where the taxes on those things keep going up so the state has the money to fight the Federal government, pay for attorneys so illegal aliens can fight deportation and cities have $600,000 for each dwelling that can be used to house homeless people. When a friend told me that CA has a "lumber tax", I was flabbergasted. This is on top of sales tax that can be over 10% in some cities. The state stands to make a fair bit of tax revenue as homes are rebuilt. Of course, they'll also be assessed for the new value of the home when rebuilt if the owner's aren't granted dispensation on their property taxes.

    4. SundogUK Silver badge

      Re: Canada tariffs....

      Can you imagine Canadians being such complete cunts that they would do that? Well, maybe Trudeau...

  5. Someone Else Silver badge

    Same...er, stuff, different day

    Yet another case of "One rule for me, another for thee entitled fatasses".

  6. kmorwath

    "Move fast, break things..."

    But sometimes you need to connect all your neurons and understand when it is time to tell you ego to shutdown.

  7. ComicalEngineer

    I've seen the damage to a Hercules wing after it hit a goose. Thankfully it missed the engines but it made a 2' wide hole in the leading edge causing the aircraft to be grounded for a week and costing several thousand pounds to replace the damaged wing section.

    So hell, yeah, why not fly a drone where aircraft are operating, and where you can't see it, after all, what can possibly go wrong.

    Time that someone learned that life is not a video game. Jail time would have been apropriate.

    1. Neil Barnes Silver badge
      Facepalm

      Though shalt not fly thy remote aircraft out of visual range of either the pilot, or if being piloted via a viewer, the observer.

      They could have thrown a lot bigger book at him, and should have...

      (Perhaps this might shut up the idiots who keep insisting that there has never been an occasion where a drone damaged a plane? Then again, there have been other cases, so probably not.)

    2. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

      I hope they gave the goose a good roasting.

      1. that one in the corner Silver badge

        Not after the goose greased a few palms.

        1. jake Silver badge

          Goose grease is much better for roasting potatoes than (hearts of) palms.

    3. Jim Mitchell
      Devil

      A Hercules does much better when dealing with lions or hydras, not geese.

      1. CA Dave

        I couldn't help but snicker at this.

  8. Howard Sway Silver badge

    he's also the president of Skydance Interactive

    Since this Skydunce interacted with some people risking their lives to help others, I hope he has to pick up so much charred debris on his community service that he never sees other people's misfortune as an opportunity for entertainment ever again.

  9. Eclectic Man Silver badge
    WTF?

    Geofencing

    OK, so DJI alerts people when their drinks are potentially flying in controlled airspace. But WTF did he think he was doing? You should never fly a drone near a piloted aircraft, and never, as a civilian, in a disaster area. The pilot of the drone is ultimately responsible for its actions, and relying on the manufacturer to tell him where he should and should not fly, rather than following the FAA is inexcusable.

    In the UK, farmers have the right to kill any dog worrying their sheep, maybe there should be a law allowing the shooting down of drones in controlled airspace that potentially endanger piloted aircraft? The USA has some pretty accurate skeet shooters

    1. Eclectic Man Silver badge
      Facepalm

      Re: Geofencing

      D'Oh

      For "drinks" read "drones".

      Maybe my 2025 New Year Resolution should be to re-read before posting.

      1. jake Silver badge
        Pint

        Re: Geofencing

        We've all done it.

        Have a(nother) drink 8-)

    2. MachDiamond Silver badge

      Re: Geofencing

      "maybe there should be a law allowing the shooting down of drones in controlled airspace that potentially endanger piloted aircraft? The USA has some pretty accurate skeet shooters"

      That would be a very poor idea. Firing a weapon into the air can have worse consequences. The drone being shot at may also be approved to be there. With so many agencies involved with something like this, tying to verify one drone doesn't belong to one of them would be problematic. The drone might be keeping track of somebody suspected of setting the fire(s). You never know.

  10. CA Dave

    Failing to make an example of this rich muppet will just encourage the son(s) of (an)other rich muppet(s) to do the same damn thing in flippant resolve.

    Because "Hey that CoD dude did it and he didn't go to jail!"

    $65k+ in restitution and a mere 150 hours of wildfire community service is a pretty lame sentence for someone who purposely decided to be a pain in the ass, and contribute to the misery. It was also extremely bold for his attorney to try to pin the blame on DJI for "lack of geofencing". The company didn't fly the drone into an active disaster area.

    If it would have been a non-White, lower income class individual, I guarantee you he's in jail for the max year AND paying inflated restitution costs.

    1. SundogUK Silver badge

      Money made the difference, not race.

  11. Sceptic Tank Silver badge
    Trollface

    He got hosed

    "...first responders were risking their lives". That aircraft does not sound very safe. But why must California rely on Canada to come and pull the chestnuts out of the fire? FEMA still bankrupt?

    1. jake Silver badge

      Re: He got hosed

      First responders are always potentially risking their own lives. Goes with the territory.

      Those planes are perfectly safe, when fucking idiots aren't launching solid objects at them.

      California doesn't rely on the Canadians for this kind of thing. Rather, the Canadians volunteer to help when we've already got all hands on deck. It's a shared resources thing. We help them out when we're not inundated, too. It's called being neighborly.

      FEMA was never out of money. Trump and his sycophants/quislings lied about that, too. Were you stupid enough to fall for it?

      1. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

        Re: He got hosed

        "It's called being neighborly."

        OP probably forgot such a thing existed. It seems to be rapidly going out of fashion.

        1. Eclectic Man Silver badge

          Re: He got hosed

          With respect, I do not think that 'being neighbourly' is going out of fashion, it just does not get the publicity in the news media it deserves.

    2. collinsl Silver badge

      Re: He got hosed

      The planes are safe, it's the activity you do with them which isn't. Look up the recent crashes of firefighting aircraft and you'll see it's stuff like flying into mountains whilst making a low pass to release water or collect water from a lake, or a helicopter hitting a pole whilst trying to refill from a pool or pond or something.

      Why? Because you have to do inherently risky things with these aircraft to get the water where it's needed.

      Example footage of a typical release run

  12. Don Bannister

    Geofencing not an excuse

    Geofencing would only cover "fixed" airspace, so probably not any temporary zones established during firefighting operations.

    I understand that DJI have now degraded geofencing to "operator warning" status. It may not be safer, but it'll certainly place any blame clearly on the drone pilot !

    1. MachDiamond Silver badge

      Re: Geofencing not an excuse

      "I understand that DJI have now degraded geofencing to "operator warning" status. It may not be safer, but it'll certainly place any blame clearly on the drone pilot !"

      A lot of what DJI was doing in terms of geofencing was more strict than FAA regulations. It also meant that when I was going to use my drone someplace where I sought and received FAA authorization, I'd also have to get DJI to send me an unlock code as well. I'd had a couple of occasions where the code didn't work and my authorization ended before I could get DJI to fix it. I think the military had loads of fun when they wanted to use a drone to look at things on a base. A small drone makes sense to perform simple inspections of rooftops rather than somebody climbing up on a ladder to have a look. Of course, it's a military base so there would be a massive bit of geofencing on the part of the drone that wouldn't apply to the military wanting to use it on the base.

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    What an asshole, he should be in prison

    I live 3 blocks from the edge of what was the evacuation zone. We could see the flames and smell the smoke and packed up just in case we had to evacuate next. How much was the fire able to spread due to the plane being out of action? Bring back the pillory! 40 lashes and being pelted with rotten vegetables should just be the start.

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