Flight restriction in national parks.

[sar104]

JHCripes! My drone flying would consist of about 30 minutes using 2 batts, maybe, in one area flying at least 100' high. Then I would move on to another area miles away to fly another 15 to 30 minutes taking more videos. While I was doing that the dirt bikes & snowmobiles & offroad trucks would be tearing up the quiet forest making deafening noises for as long as THEIR GAS TANKS WOULD LAST (hours & hours)! How in the world is that a close comparison or equal in any way?

I guess you already read further in the discussion.

 

[OurAngryBadger]

Has anyone ever made a petition for this to the government?

 

[KanjaniAir]

I have only been flying for a short time, and I am amazed at just how many people are so anti-drone. People complain that a drone will invade their privacy, yet... they post their entire lives and the lives of others on Social Media. The uproar over flying a drone in a wide open area safely just blows my mind sometimes.

I would love to fly over a National Park to capture the beauty of our country and show it to others who may not have the chance to experience what I have seen. It's crazy insane how a few people can complain so loud that it causes such a knee-jerk reaction to clamp down on the most innocent of things.

I saw a female throw a McDonald's cup out of a car window in a parking lot the other day in broad daylight, and no one said a thing to the driver of the car or the passenger. I go to a location to fly and check my surroundings before take off and people walk up to me to ask me not to fly there. It's just insane!!

 

[DamienC]

Here in Virginia, with beautiful parks and Skyline Drive as well, Drones are strictly prohibited. Here is the official Document:

https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/document/rules-drones.pdf

Saw the signs when I was in Shenandoah back in August....right before I moved to Idaho and bought a Zoom! Checking out what the rules are here for state parks. I suspect I'll get some grief for it .

For the record: Virginia Beach. Wheres about you from?

 

[usaken]

I was in Big bend nat park in Texas. It is a high desert of 800,000+ acres of rugged mountains as well just plain desert with unlivable cactus-filled dry land. There are busy areas where people populate for hiking and camping, and there are many roads some paved but mostly dirt off roads branching off into nothing into the desert.
I had my drone with me and found a remote parking area near the Rio Grand river with very few or sometimes no people at times and tried to sneak an opportunity to take some pictures from the birds-eye view. Nothing crazy, not out of sight just simply go up to pass the tree lines to see the river carving through the mountains. As I am setting a lady emerges from a trail and walks right up and said: "you better not take off with that thing or you will face a fine and lose your drone. She identified her self as an off duty park ranger from another state (Mississippi if I recall). We talked and asked what could be the harm? Her answer was, these things are so cheap and available to anyone that people buy it in the mall not knowing how to fly it and the drones end up in the tree, she used an example of a drone ending up in civil war era historic tree and they had to retrieve it. We talked again that this drone is not inexpensive, has lots of technology with cameras that avoid trees/people/collisions. She was impressed. She advised me that I can apply for a special permit - which only a few people get. Eventually departed and went on her way. I packed up my stuff.
It bothers me that I have this expensive flying camera that can take pictures, pictures that are so different than we take on the ground, pictures from above with dept. and we are restricted to use it to enjoy what nature offers to us.
Ok, off my soapbox.
I can not accept this reason... that some people did something bad and now none of us can legally use our drones in nat. parks.

This here... ladies and gentleman.... is the USA - Mexico border, and the mighty Rio grand river. These are not drone pictures.
Camera's date is incorrect/not set.

View attachment 94824

View attachment 94830

I take the position that national parks are paid for by all taxpayers. The NPS should have a mandate to accommodate all reasonable users Including UAV cameras. That does not mean that certain highly populated areas should not be restricted for safety reasons. But, come on NPS, these huge National Parks should not be cut off to everyone but hikers.

 

[011111110]

You cannot target shoot or fire your gun in those parks unless it is to protect yourself from man or beast!

Actually you can't even fire it to protect yourself, or even have it with you at all - US national parks are all designated "Gun Free Zones".

 

[DroningOn]

Actually you can't even fire it to protect yourself, or even have it with you at all - US national parks are all designated "Gun Free Zones".

Not correct thankfully

“Congress approved a new law allowing loaded firearms in national parks starting Feb. 22, 2010. That means people can openly carry legal handguns, rifles, shotguns and other firearms and also may carry concealed guns as allowed by state statute.”

https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/management/upload/Firearms-in-IMRparks2-2010.pdf

 

[Drgnfli]

Not correct thankfully

“Congress approved a new law allowing loaded firearms in national parks starting Feb. 22, 2010. That means people can openly carry legal handguns, rifles, shotguns and other firearms and also may carry concealed guns as allowed by state statute.”

https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/management/upload/Firearms-in-IMRparks2-2010.pdf

Thank you! Some folks are 10 years behind times...

 

[Thomas B]

Another reference from the NPS:

Firearms in National Parks (U.S. National Park Service)

Details about the carry and use of Firearms in National Parks.

www.nps.gov

 

[TontoFAC]

National Parks

Unmanned Aircraft in the National Parks (U.S. National Park Service)

Information about unmanned aircraft (or drone) use in national parks.

www.nps.gov

National Forests, most allow flights with some restrictions. https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/invalidurl

US Congress designated Wildlife areas are no fly zones.

 

[usaken]

I don’t think you can hunt on National Park land can you? Not to be confused with National Forest land which you certainly can but drones are also welcome.

Well, wilderness areas are no fly zones too. They are under the forrest service

 

[sar104]

Well, wilderness areas are no fly zones too. They are under the forrest service

Takeoff and landing is prohibited in wilderness of all flavors. Overflight is permitted.

 

[strdr]

I was in Big bend nat park in Texas. It is a high desert of 800,000+ acres of rugged mountains as well just plain desert with unlivable cactus-filled dry land. There are busy areas where people populate for hiking and camping, and there are many roads some paved but mostly dirt off roads branching off into nothing into the desert.
I had my drone with me and found a remote parking area near the Rio Grand river with very few or sometimes no people at times and tried to sneak an opportunity to take some pictures from the birds-eye view. Nothing crazy, not out of sight just simply go up to pass the tree lines to see the river carving through the mountains. As I am setting a lady emerges from a trail and walks right up and said: "you better not take off with that thing or you will face a fine and lose your drone. She identified her self as an off duty park ranger from another state (Mississippi if I recall). We talked and asked what could be the harm? Her answer was, these things are so cheap and available to anyone that people buy it in the mall not knowing how to fly it and the drones end up in the tree, she used an example of a drone ending up in civil war era historic tree and they had to retrieve it. We talked again that this drone is not inexpensive, has lots of technology with cameras that avoid trees/people/collisions. She was impressed. She advised me that I can apply for a special permit - which only a few people get. Eventually departed and went on her way. I packed up my stuff.
It bothers me that I have this expensive flying camera that can take pictures, pictures that are so different than we take on the ground, pictures from above with dept. and we are restricted to use it to enjoy what nature offers to us.
Ok, off my soapbox.
I can not accept this reason... that some people did something bad and now none of us can legally use our drones in nat. parks.

This here... ladies and gentleman.... is the USA - Mexico border, and the mighty Rio grand river. These are not drone pictures.
Camera's date is incorrect/not set.

View attachment 94824

View attachment 94830

Realistically, you could have taken off, had your flight, taken some truly wonderful shots, landed safely without incident. This could be the case for 1,000s upon 1,000s of park visitors and flights. The fraction of chance of injury to a person or some harm to the landscape (which would heal) is so small so as to be insignificant. The bottom line is we live in a world of control freaks, that foist their overwrought fears on us all. They chip away at freedoms under the pretense of, "someone might get hurt". The risk of injury or property damage from drone flying is minimal. Fliers that do cause damage and injury should be dealt with as the law already provides. Remote ID, software restrictions and limitations and other interference with the pilot in command's (POC) responsibility of safely flying the drone. I submit that with those interferences the POC cannot truly assume full responsibility of the safety of the flight. Next time... fly that **** drone. You will sleep better knowing that you didn't let a worthwhile experience be ruined by fear mongering control freaks.