The Drones
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Nuclear Regulatory Commission Reports Missing Radioactive Waste Material
Written on 17 December 2024.Orginally published in the New American
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) released an event notification report on December 13 announcing that a radioactive pin source was reported missing on December 3. (A “pin source” is a tiny radioactive “pin” used for calibrating medical-imaging scanners.)
The Germanium-68 (Ge-68) waste material was being transported for disposal, and went missing while in transit in Newfield, New Jersey. “The shipping container arrived at its destination damaged and empty,” noted the report. In its notification to the NRC, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) stated:
The event report said the missing material contained a very small amount of radioactive material. “This material event contains a ‘less than Cat3’ level of radioactive material,” it stated:
The pin was used to calibrate PET/CT scanners, and was used at the Nazha Cancer Center in New Jersey. The NRC notification stated the event was reportable under 10 CFR 20.2201(a)(1)(ii):
Nothing to freak out over.
These drones have also been seen over three USAF bases in Britain - RAF Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk and RAF Feltwell in Norfolk.
RAF Lakenheath is home to the USAF's 48th Fighter Wing, aka the Liberty Wing.
There's something going on. What country - or planet - are these things from?
RAF Lakenheath is home to the USAF's 48th Fighter Wing, aka the Liberty Wing.
There's something going on. What country - or planet - are these things from?
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Boy hit by drone at Florida holiday show gets heart surgery
Author of the article:Washington Post
Washington Post
Praveena Somasundaram
Published Dec 24, 2024 • 2 minute read
Thousands of people were gathered at a Florida park Saturday to watch drones shining red and green perform a holiday light show when a few of the drones collided and fell into the crowd, officials said, injuring a 7-year-old boy.
The boy needed heart surgery after the incident at Lake Eola Park in Orlando, his mother told WESH 2 News.
“This should not have happened, and no family should be going through this,” said the boy’s mother, Adriana Edgerton. “We were trying to watch a show and have a good time.”
On Monday, the Federal Aviation Administration said it is investigating the incident, which happened at Orlando’s third annual holiday drone show. The show was permitted through the FAA, which regulates drone arrays and light shows. According to the city, the drones were operated by Sky Elements Drone Shows, a company that bills itself as the “leading drone light show provider in the United States.”
Sky Elements Drone Shows did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Washington Post on Monday.
Orlando’s holiday drone show has drawn crowds of about 25,000 people in the years it has taken place, a city spokesperson said in a statement Monday. Before permitting such events, the FAA reviews the drone software and safety procedures, the agency said in its statement.
Around 6:45 p.m. Saturday, rows of small red and green drones were flying over Lake Eola Park when several of them started to fall from the sky, videos posted on social media show.
“Oh no!” someone can be heard saying in one video. “I don’t think they’re supposed to be falling.”
The show, which began at 6:30 p.m., had “technical difficulties,” the city’s statement said. Emergency staff who were stationed at a tent 50 feet from the incident helped one person who was reportedly injured during the show, the city said. Afterward, he was taken to a hospital, the Orlando Fire Department said.
As the drones fell, the crowd scrambled for safety, Edgerton told WESH 2 News. A drone struck her son’s chest and a blade cut his mouth, Edgerton said, adding that her son had heart surgery on Sunday.
“There’s an actual imprint of the drone on his chest,” she said.
As of Monday, it was unclear the exact type of drone that was used during the show. Sky Elements uses custom-designed drones with LED lights, communication systems and “robust flight hardware” for light shows, according to its website. The company said it can put on small light shows with 50 drones, while others require hundreds of thousands of them.
After the incident, city officials said they “immediately” decided to cancel the second drone show that had been scheduled later that night.
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Washington Post
Washington Post
Praveena Somasundaram
Published Dec 24, 2024 • 2 minute read
Thousands of people were gathered at a Florida park Saturday to watch drones shining red and green perform a holiday light show when a few of the drones collided and fell into the crowd, officials said, injuring a 7-year-old boy.
The boy needed heart surgery after the incident at Lake Eola Park in Orlando, his mother told WESH 2 News.
“This should not have happened, and no family should be going through this,” said the boy’s mother, Adriana Edgerton. “We were trying to watch a show and have a good time.”
On Monday, the Federal Aviation Administration said it is investigating the incident, which happened at Orlando’s third annual holiday drone show. The show was permitted through the FAA, which regulates drone arrays and light shows. According to the city, the drones were operated by Sky Elements Drone Shows, a company that bills itself as the “leading drone light show provider in the United States.”
Sky Elements Drone Shows did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Washington Post on Monday.
Orlando’s holiday drone show has drawn crowds of about 25,000 people in the years it has taken place, a city spokesperson said in a statement Monday. Before permitting such events, the FAA reviews the drone software and safety procedures, the agency said in its statement.
Around 6:45 p.m. Saturday, rows of small red and green drones were flying over Lake Eola Park when several of them started to fall from the sky, videos posted on social media show.
“Oh no!” someone can be heard saying in one video. “I don’t think they’re supposed to be falling.”
The show, which began at 6:30 p.m., had “technical difficulties,” the city’s statement said. Emergency staff who were stationed at a tent 50 feet from the incident helped one person who was reportedly injured during the show, the city said. Afterward, he was taken to a hospital, the Orlando Fire Department said.
As the drones fell, the crowd scrambled for safety, Edgerton told WESH 2 News. A drone struck her son’s chest and a blade cut his mouth, Edgerton said, adding that her son had heart surgery on Sunday.
“There’s an actual imprint of the drone on his chest,” she said.
As of Monday, it was unclear the exact type of drone that was used during the show. Sky Elements uses custom-designed drones with LED lights, communication systems and “robust flight hardware” for light shows, according to its website. The company said it can put on small light shows with 50 drones, while others require hundreds of thousands of them.
After the incident, city officials said they “immediately” decided to cancel the second drone show that had been scheduled later that night.
Boy hit by drone at Florida holiday show gets heart surgery
The boy needed heart surgery after the incident at Lake Eola Park in Orlando, his mother told WESH 2 News.
Quebec sending more water bombers to California after aircraft struck by drone
Author of the article:Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Joe Bongiorno
Published Jan 10, 2025 • Last updated 19 hours ago • 4 minute read
A Quebec water bomber fighting the wildfires in the Los Angeles area was grounded after it collided with a drone flying in the area on Thursday.
A Quebec water bomber fighting the wildfires in the Los Angeles area was grounded after it collided with a drone flying in the area on Thursday.
MONTREAL — Quebec said Friday it will send two more firefighting aircraft to California, a day after one of the province’s water bombers collided with a drone while battling the wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area.
Quebec Public Security Minister Francois Bonnardel said on X that “at the request of U.S. authorities, we will be sending two additional water bombers … and their crews as early as Jan. 15.”
He said Quebec will provide California with four water bombers in total.
“During the terrible wildfire season of 2023, we were able to count on the help of our allies around the world. It’s important to do the same for our neighbours to the south,” Bonnardel added.
British Columbia is also lending more support. Premier David Eby said a senior management team from the BC Wildfire Service “will be departing imminently” for California in response to a request from the state’s Forestry and Fire Protection Department.
The province is expecting the team to consist of about 12 people, although that number may increase in subsequent deployments as the California fire situation remains fluid.
The deployment is expected to last for at least two weeks.
“California has been there for us, we will be there for them,” Eby said in a social media statement, adding that B.C. is also working on sending groundcrews as part of Canada’s national response.
“That’s what good neighbours do,” the premier said.
B.C. Forests Minister Ravi Parmar said later on social media that the BC Wildfire Service team would work directly with California fire officials “to provide advanced support in crucial areas” including logistics, planning, operations and aviation.
Parmar said the deployment would happen “in the coming days.”
The extra planes from Quebec will arrive after a drone strike grounded one of the province’s two planes that had been helping in the wildfire fight this week. The two Canadian-made CL-415 planes and their crews are sent to California every fall as part of an annual contract that has been in place for more than 30 years.
The L.A. County Fire Department said the plane, known as Quebec 1, was damaged after it was struck by a civilian drone at 1 p.m. Thursday over the city’s Pacific Palisades neighbourhood, where dozens of blocks have been reduced to smouldering rubble.
“Quebec 1 sustained wing damage and remains grounded and out of service. There were no reported injuries,” the fire department said on X.
Quebec’s Transport Department said the water bomber involved in the collision was manned by a pilot and co-pilot.
Stephane Caron, prevention and communications co-ordinator at Quebec’s forest fire prevention agency, said the drone punctured the wing and remained embedded when the aircraft landed.
“For the moment, this plane cannot fly until the damage is repaired, and probably it will be next week when it can fly again,” he said in an interview Friday.
The two additional water bombers heading south are the same CL-415 model designed for wildfires. The planes, which in Los Angeles are drawing water from the Pacific Ocean, can fill their tanks in about 12 seconds before returning to the fire, Caron said.
“Next week we’ll send four other pilots and two technicians,” he said, which will bring the province’s California contingent to 12 pilots and about six technicians.
Pascal Duclos, head pilot for the Quebec government’s aerial service, told reporters Friday that the pilot and co-pilot inside the plane that collided with the drone didn’t realize what had happened until the aircraft landed.
“The pilot who hit the drone didn’t know he hit the drone before he landed and looked at the hole in the wing,” he said during a remote news conference from the Los Angeles area.
Quebecers deployed to California are in good spirits, Duclos said, despite some frustration about the drone incident.
“The morale is good,” he said. “They’re happy to help do what they can for the region here.”
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said it has launched an investigation into the collision. “It’s a federal crime, punishable by up to 12 months in prison, to interfere with firefighting efforts on public lands,” the agency said on its website Thursday.
The massive fires have killed at least 10 people and burned more than 10,000 homes and other structures. In addition to the Quebec government planes, helicopters belonging to B.C.-based Coulson Aviation have also been deployed in the fight.
Global Affairs Canada said in a statement Friday that it was not aware of any Canadians killed or injured in the fires.
It said 4,476 Canadian citizens were registered as being in California according to a voluntary registration system that it urged Canadians to join.
Canadian Emergency Preparedness Minister Harjit Sajjan said Thursday that Canada was ready to deploy 250 firefighters, aircraft and other resources.
A statement from his department Friday said the air force is standing by to transport firefighting personnel and equipment if needed, while provincial efforts include Ontario being prepared to send two waterbombers and up to 200 personnel to the fight if requested.
Alberta, meanwhile, is sending up to 40 wildland firefighters with more personnel, waterbombers and contracted night-vision helicopters ready to deploy.
A spokesman for Defence Minister Bill Blair said Friday that Canada had yet to receive an official request for help from the United States, and won’t be able to provide more details until that request is formally made. A CC-330 Royal Canadian Air Force plane is on standby to help transport people and equipment to California when needed.
On Friday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reiterated Canada’s support in a message on X. “I spoke with (California Gov.) Gavin Newsom last night. We both know that Canada and the United States are more than just neighbours. We’re friends — especially when times get tough,” he said. “California’s always had our back when we battle wildfires up north. Now, Canada’s got yours.”
— With files from Chuck Chiang in Vancouver and The Associated Press
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Joe Bongiorno
Published Jan 10, 2025 • Last updated 19 hours ago • 4 minute read
A Quebec water bomber fighting the wildfires in the Los Angeles area was grounded after it collided with a drone flying in the area on Thursday.
A Quebec water bomber fighting the wildfires in the Los Angeles area was grounded after it collided with a drone flying in the area on Thursday.
MONTREAL — Quebec said Friday it will send two more firefighting aircraft to California, a day after one of the province’s water bombers collided with a drone while battling the wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area.
Quebec Public Security Minister Francois Bonnardel said on X that “at the request of U.S. authorities, we will be sending two additional water bombers … and their crews as early as Jan. 15.”
He said Quebec will provide California with four water bombers in total.
“During the terrible wildfire season of 2023, we were able to count on the help of our allies around the world. It’s important to do the same for our neighbours to the south,” Bonnardel added.
British Columbia is also lending more support. Premier David Eby said a senior management team from the BC Wildfire Service “will be departing imminently” for California in response to a request from the state’s Forestry and Fire Protection Department.
The province is expecting the team to consist of about 12 people, although that number may increase in subsequent deployments as the California fire situation remains fluid.
The deployment is expected to last for at least two weeks.
“California has been there for us, we will be there for them,” Eby said in a social media statement, adding that B.C. is also working on sending groundcrews as part of Canada’s national response.
“That’s what good neighbours do,” the premier said.
B.C. Forests Minister Ravi Parmar said later on social media that the BC Wildfire Service team would work directly with California fire officials “to provide advanced support in crucial areas” including logistics, planning, operations and aviation.
Parmar said the deployment would happen “in the coming days.”
The extra planes from Quebec will arrive after a drone strike grounded one of the province’s two planes that had been helping in the wildfire fight this week. The two Canadian-made CL-415 planes and their crews are sent to California every fall as part of an annual contract that has been in place for more than 30 years.
The L.A. County Fire Department said the plane, known as Quebec 1, was damaged after it was struck by a civilian drone at 1 p.m. Thursday over the city’s Pacific Palisades neighbourhood, where dozens of blocks have been reduced to smouldering rubble.
“Quebec 1 sustained wing damage and remains grounded and out of service. There were no reported injuries,” the fire department said on X.
Quebec’s Transport Department said the water bomber involved in the collision was manned by a pilot and co-pilot.
Stephane Caron, prevention and communications co-ordinator at Quebec’s forest fire prevention agency, said the drone punctured the wing and remained embedded when the aircraft landed.
“For the moment, this plane cannot fly until the damage is repaired, and probably it will be next week when it can fly again,” he said in an interview Friday.
The two additional water bombers heading south are the same CL-415 model designed for wildfires. The planes, which in Los Angeles are drawing water from the Pacific Ocean, can fill their tanks in about 12 seconds before returning to the fire, Caron said.
“Next week we’ll send four other pilots and two technicians,” he said, which will bring the province’s California contingent to 12 pilots and about six technicians.
Pascal Duclos, head pilot for the Quebec government’s aerial service, told reporters Friday that the pilot and co-pilot inside the plane that collided with the drone didn’t realize what had happened until the aircraft landed.
“The pilot who hit the drone didn’t know he hit the drone before he landed and looked at the hole in the wing,” he said during a remote news conference from the Los Angeles area.
Quebecers deployed to California are in good spirits, Duclos said, despite some frustration about the drone incident.
“The morale is good,” he said. “They’re happy to help do what they can for the region here.”
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said it has launched an investigation into the collision. “It’s a federal crime, punishable by up to 12 months in prison, to interfere with firefighting efforts on public lands,” the agency said on its website Thursday.
The massive fires have killed at least 10 people and burned more than 10,000 homes and other structures. In addition to the Quebec government planes, helicopters belonging to B.C.-based Coulson Aviation have also been deployed in the fight.
Global Affairs Canada said in a statement Friday that it was not aware of any Canadians killed or injured in the fires.
It said 4,476 Canadian citizens were registered as being in California according to a voluntary registration system that it urged Canadians to join.
Canadian Emergency Preparedness Minister Harjit Sajjan said Thursday that Canada was ready to deploy 250 firefighters, aircraft and other resources.
A statement from his department Friday said the air force is standing by to transport firefighting personnel and equipment if needed, while provincial efforts include Ontario being prepared to send two waterbombers and up to 200 personnel to the fight if requested.
Alberta, meanwhile, is sending up to 40 wildland firefighters with more personnel, waterbombers and contracted night-vision helicopters ready to deploy.
A spokesman for Defence Minister Bill Blair said Friday that Canada had yet to receive an official request for help from the United States, and won’t be able to provide more details until that request is formally made. A CC-330 Royal Canadian Air Force plane is on standby to help transport people and equipment to California when needed.
On Friday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reiterated Canada’s support in a message on X. “I spoke with (California Gov.) Gavin Newsom last night. We both know that Canada and the United States are more than just neighbours. We’re friends — especially when times get tough,” he said. “California’s always had our back when we battle wildfires up north. Now, Canada’s got yours.”
— With files from Chuck Chiang in Vancouver and The Associated Press
Quebec sending more water bombers to California after aircraft struck by drone
Quebec said Friday it will send two more firefighting aircraft to California after one of its water bombers collided with a drone.
China has allegedly developed the world’s first drone capable of being launched from a submarine.
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Man agrees to plead guilty for flying drone that damaged firefighting aircraft in L.A. wildfire
Author of the article:Associated Press
Associated Press
Jaimie Ding And Olga R. Rodriguez
Published Jan 31, 2025 • Last updated 1 day ago • 3 minute read
A Quebec water bomber fighting the wildfires in the Los Angeles area was grounded after it collided with a drone flying in the area on Thursday.
A Quebec water bomber fighting the wildfires in the Los Angeles area was grounded after it collided with a drone flying in the area on Thursday.
LOS ANGELES — The pilot of a drone that crashed into a firefighting plane, leaving a gaping hole and grounding the aircraft during the deadly Palisades Fire in Los Angeles, has agreed to plead guilty to a misdemeanour count of unsafely operating a drone, federal authorities said Friday.
Peter Tripp Akemann will avoid prison with the plea agreement that states he will have to complete 150 hours of wildfire-related community service and pay $65,000 in restitution for the damage to the plane, said acting U.S. attorney Joseph McNally. The misdemeanour count Akemann faced could have resulted in a year in prison. He’s set to appear in court later Friday. Authorities say Akemann launched the drone from the top of a parking structure in Santa Monica on Jan. 9 and flew it more than 1.5 miles toward the Palisades Fire before losing sight of it. It then crashed with the Super Scooper that was carrying two firefighters. The planes can scoop 1,500 gallons (6,000 litres) of water in just seconds.
The wind-driven blaze in the upscale Pacific Palisades began Jan. 7, destroying or damaging nearly 8,000 homes, businesses and other structures and killing at least 12 people. Drone operations were prohibited in the area at the time due to the firefight. The conflagration was fueled by dry Santa Ana winds and has scorched at least 36 square miles (94 square kilometres) of land. It was 98% contained as of Friday.
Federal authorities emphasized Friday it was the responsibility of drone owners to know the rules, and there would be consequences for breaking them, especially as Los Angeles gears up to host several major events in coming years, including the World Cup, the Super Bowl and the Olympics.
“The FAA has very strict guidelines about registering drones and where drones can be flown. The onus is on the pilot, if firefighters are putting out a fire with aircraft that should be a clue,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office.
The Super Scooper, which was owned by the government of Quebec, was grounded for several days. The pilot was able to land the aircraft despite a hole in the left wing caused by the collision with the drone.
Davis said there was no evidence Akemann intentionally caused the collision.
“Lack of common sense and ignorance of your duty as a drone pilot will not shield you from criminal charges,” he said.
The fire in the hilly Los Angeles neighbourhood, home to Hollywood stars like Jamie Lee Curtis and Billy Crystal who lost houses in the fire, forced thousands of people from their homes, and knocked out power to tens of thousands.
Investigators are still trying to determine what caused the fire. Officials have placed the origin of blaze behind a home on Piedra Morada Drive, which sits above a densely wooded arroyo.
Another wind-whipped fire that started the same day in Altadena, a community about 35 miles (56 kilometres) east of Pacific Palisades, killed at least 17 people and destroyed or damaged more than 10,000 homes and other buildings.
The Santa Ana winds have turned seasonal wildfires into infernos that have leveled neighbourhoods in and around Los Angeles, where there has been no significant rainfall in more than eight months.
Several Altadena residents who lost homes in the Eaton Fire told the AP they received no notifications about their neighbourhoods. For others, the first warning was an urgent text message in the middle of the night.
On Tuesday, Los Angeles County officials approved an outside review of how alerts functioned in the Eaton Fire and Palisades Fire in response to residents’ demands. City officials declined to answer The Associated Press’ questions about a lag in some Palisades Fire alerts, though Fire Capt. Branden Silverman said responding to a fire and determining evacuation needs can take some time.
— Rodriguez reported from San Francisco.
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Associated Press
Associated Press
Jaimie Ding And Olga R. Rodriguez
Published Jan 31, 2025 • Last updated 1 day ago • 3 minute read
A Quebec water bomber fighting the wildfires in the Los Angeles area was grounded after it collided with a drone flying in the area on Thursday.
A Quebec water bomber fighting the wildfires in the Los Angeles area was grounded after it collided with a drone flying in the area on Thursday.
LOS ANGELES — The pilot of a drone that crashed into a firefighting plane, leaving a gaping hole and grounding the aircraft during the deadly Palisades Fire in Los Angeles, has agreed to plead guilty to a misdemeanour count of unsafely operating a drone, federal authorities said Friday.
Peter Tripp Akemann will avoid prison with the plea agreement that states he will have to complete 150 hours of wildfire-related community service and pay $65,000 in restitution for the damage to the plane, said acting U.S. attorney Joseph McNally. The misdemeanour count Akemann faced could have resulted in a year in prison. He’s set to appear in court later Friday. Authorities say Akemann launched the drone from the top of a parking structure in Santa Monica on Jan. 9 and flew it more than 1.5 miles toward the Palisades Fire before losing sight of it. It then crashed with the Super Scooper that was carrying two firefighters. The planes can scoop 1,500 gallons (6,000 litres) of water in just seconds.
The wind-driven blaze in the upscale Pacific Palisades began Jan. 7, destroying or damaging nearly 8,000 homes, businesses and other structures and killing at least 12 people. Drone operations were prohibited in the area at the time due to the firefight. The conflagration was fueled by dry Santa Ana winds and has scorched at least 36 square miles (94 square kilometres) of land. It was 98% contained as of Friday.
Federal authorities emphasized Friday it was the responsibility of drone owners to know the rules, and there would be consequences for breaking them, especially as Los Angeles gears up to host several major events in coming years, including the World Cup, the Super Bowl and the Olympics.
“The FAA has very strict guidelines about registering drones and where drones can be flown. The onus is on the pilot, if firefighters are putting out a fire with aircraft that should be a clue,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office.
The Super Scooper, which was owned by the government of Quebec, was grounded for several days. The pilot was able to land the aircraft despite a hole in the left wing caused by the collision with the drone.
Davis said there was no evidence Akemann intentionally caused the collision.
“Lack of common sense and ignorance of your duty as a drone pilot will not shield you from criminal charges,” he said.
The fire in the hilly Los Angeles neighbourhood, home to Hollywood stars like Jamie Lee Curtis and Billy Crystal who lost houses in the fire, forced thousands of people from their homes, and knocked out power to tens of thousands.
Investigators are still trying to determine what caused the fire. Officials have placed the origin of blaze behind a home on Piedra Morada Drive, which sits above a densely wooded arroyo.
Another wind-whipped fire that started the same day in Altadena, a community about 35 miles (56 kilometres) east of Pacific Palisades, killed at least 17 people and destroyed or damaged more than 10,000 homes and other buildings.
The Santa Ana winds have turned seasonal wildfires into infernos that have leveled neighbourhoods in and around Los Angeles, where there has been no significant rainfall in more than eight months.
Several Altadena residents who lost homes in the Eaton Fire told the AP they received no notifications about their neighbourhoods. For others, the first warning was an urgent text message in the middle of the night.
On Tuesday, Los Angeles County officials approved an outside review of how alerts functioned in the Eaton Fire and Palisades Fire in response to residents’ demands. City officials declined to answer The Associated Press’ questions about a lag in some Palisades Fire alerts, though Fire Capt. Branden Silverman said responding to a fire and determining evacuation needs can take some time.
— Rodriguez reported from San Francisco.
Man agrees to plead guilty for flying drone that damaged firefighting aircraft in L.A. wildfire
The pilot of a drone that crashed into a firefighting plane has agreed to plead guilty to a misdemeanour count of unsafely operating a drone,