USA national parks drone free zones

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Seems to me that many of our national parks and monuments have rules prohibiting drones. Is this something that applies to all national parks? Just curious. Thanks
 
usaken said:
Seems to me that many of our national parks and monuments have rules prohibiting drones. Is this something that applies to all national parks? Just curious. Thanks
Besides Yosemite, what other park has banned drones?

U.M.
 
panhygrous pantler said:
According to a NPS spokesman the same regulation cited for Yosemite applies to all NPs and drones are banned in all NPs.


After hearing about Yosemite, I started looking at the homepages of other NPs (particularly in CA where I live) and noticed that Point Reyes has a notice about drones but that Sequoia and Kings Canyon says nothing about them. So I wonder if they haven't been banned there yet? Zion NP in Utah has a notice on their site saying they're banned.
 
I had a long exchange via email with the head park ranger for Gettysburg NP. They do not allow the operation of radio controlled devices. If you are shooting commercially then they would make an exception if you pay $50, apply for a permit and then pay the hourly rate of a park ranger to supervise your shoot to ensure you are not causing damage or displacing any wildlife. I agree with the previous poster that NP's are so vast that its difficult to police and if you happen to be caught then the most you get is a polite "that's not allowed here".
 
I think that in general the safest route is to assume that flying is not permitted in a park unless you have express authorization. This will not sit well with "Don't tread on me" crowd, but so it goes.
 
Only a matter of time now before they ban us from flying in our local city parks. Might as well sell our equipment now. Soon we will only be allowed to fly on private property. :evil:

U.M.
 
Uncle Meat said:
Only a matter of time now before that ban us from flying in our local city parks. Might as well sell our equipment now. Soon we will only be allowed to fly on private property. :evil:

U.M.

Well, don't be surprised if that is already the case. I live in Southern California, and in every County and most cities around here it is not permitted to fly RC aircraft in a park except as authorized by the Parks Supervisor.

For instance, here is the Orange County, CA regulation:

Sec. 2-5-42. Radio-controlled models.permanent link to this piece of content

No person shall possess or operate any radio-controlled or other remotely operated model, toy or similar device, including but not limited to cars, boats, rockets, airplanes or gliders, in any park, beach or recreational area except in areas designated and under conditions established by the Director. Any person convicted of violating this subsection shall be guilty of an infraction.

(Ord. No. 99-21, § 2, 8-31-99)
 

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