Former Game Developer Pleads Guilty in Drone Collision Case

On January 9th, Akemann flew his DJI Mini 3 Pro drone beyond the legal visibility limit and into a Super Scooper water dumping plane that was battling the Los Angeles Palisades wildfires. The collision caused significant damage to the aircraft, grounding it for repairs. Authorities have since traced the drone back to Akemann, who has agreed to plead guilty to the charges. His plea agreement includes a $65,000 payment for the plane's repairs and 150 hours of community service in support of wildfire relief.

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Legal Implications and Potential Consequences

The US District Court may not accept Akemann's plea agreement, which his lawyers are making jointly with the US Attorneys Office. If this is the case, he could face a year in jail, a year of supervised release, and either up to a $100,000 fine or twice the gross loss resulting from the offense, whichever is greater.

Details of the Incident

Akemann launched his drone from a parking structure in Santa Monica, California, and flew it towards the Pacific Palisades to observe the wildfire damage. At the time, the Federal Aviation Administration had issued Temporary Flight Restrictions prohibiting drone operations near the wildfires. Akemann flew the drone at least 2500 meters from its launch point and lost visual sight of it. The drone subsequently collided with the firefighting aircraft, causing a 3-inch-by-6-inch hole in its left wing.

Akemann's Background and Response

Akemann is not just an ordinary drone pilot. He is the former president and chief technologist of Skydance Interactive and the co-founder of Treyarch, known for its Call of Duty and Spider-Man games. He recently left his role at Skydance. Akemann's attorneys have stated that he is deeply sorry for the mistake and accepts responsibility for his grave error in judgment.