Wilderness areas - off limits?

[Axis]

I was looking at the KittyHawk app for LAANC approvals and comparing against sectional maps on SkyVector.
In KittyHawk I can see Lake Mead National Recreation Area is off limits, but it seems the Mount Nutt Wilderness Area and the Warm Springs Wilderness Area are open to fly.
Is that accurate? The sectional maps show the areas with a solid blue outline with blue dots. I was under the impression these areas were off limits.

 

[sar104]

National Recreation Areas and Wilderness are governed by different regulations, but both are off limits. The National Recreation Areas specifically prohibit model aircraft, while designated wilderness prohibits all motorized/mechanized equipment and aircraft operations (takeoff and landing).

 

[Axis]

National Recreation Areas and Wilderness are governed by different regulations, but both are off limits. The National Recreation Areas specifically prohibit model aircraft, while designated wilderness prohibits all motorized/mechanized equipment and aircraft operations (takeoff and landing).

Thank you, this makes sense now.

 

[Starz]

National Recreation Areas and Wilderness are governed by different regulations, but both are off limits. The National Recreation Areas specifically prohibit model aircraft, while designated wilderness prohibits all motorized/mechanized equipment and aircraft operations (takeoff and landing).

Clarification please. Wilderness area is restricted for takeoff and landing, but flyover is not restricted?

 

[Axis]

Clarification please. Wilderness area is restricted for takeoff and landing, but flyover is not restricted?

I found the link below and it seems to be a work in progress.
In the interim, I personally think it's playing with fire and plan to avoid those areas.

Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) | US Forest Service

The USDA Forest Service is highly interested in new technologies and believes there is potential to fly Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) to support a host of natural resource management activities, including

www.fs.fed.us

 

[Axis]

Clarification please. Wilderness area is restricted for takeoff and landing, but flyover is not restricted?

I found an additional link which says "By law, the areas where UAS can’t be operated from include Wilderness Areas and areas with Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) in place, such as wildfires."
It does say "operated from", so it's not specific about flyovers. What would happen if you have an 'unintended' landing in a wilderness area?

Flying UAS for Fun on National Forest System Lands | US Forest Service

Anyone who want to fly an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) on National Forest System lands for fun or recreation must meet Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements. Please visit the FAA's website to learn about new changes to recreational drone flying in the United States.

www.fs.fed.us

 

[BigAl07]

I found an additional link which says "By law, the areas where UAS can’t be operated from include Wilderness Areas and areas with Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) in place, such as wildfires."
It does say "operated from", so it's not specific about flyovers. What would happen if you have an 'unintended' landing in a wilderness area?

Flying UAS for Fun on National Forest System Lands | US Forest Service

Anyone who want to fly an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) on National Forest System lands for fun or recreation must meet Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements. Please visit the FAA's website to learn about new changes to recreational drone flying in the United States.

www.fs.fed.us

It's called breaking the law due to irresponsible flying IMHO. If you can't make the flight with absolute certainty that you won't be on the restricted land (and you can't) you are risking breaking the law.

 

[AMann]

I found an additional link which says "By law, the areas where UAS can’t be operated from include Wilderness Areas and areas with Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) in place, such as wildfires."
It does say "operated from", so it's not specific about flyovers. What would happen if you have an 'unintended' landing in a wilderness area?

Flying UAS for Fun on National Forest System Lands | US Forest Service

Anyone who want to fly an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) on National Forest System lands for fun or recreation must meet Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements. Please visit the FAA's website to learn about new changes to recreational drone flying in the United States.

www.fs.fed.us

Since you asked what would happen, when I was a National Park backcountry ranger, I would have been expected to cite you even for an “unintended” landing of a drone in a wilderness area. Rangers would do the same today.

There are a lot of open public lands for flying, including BLM and Forest Service non-wilderness areas. Have legal fun!

 

[Axis]

It's called breaking the law due to irresponsible flying IMHO. If you can't make the flight with absolute certainty that you won't be on the restricted land (and you can't) you are risking breaking the law.

I tend to agree, which is why I plan to avoid these areas.

 

[sar104]

Clarification please. Wilderness area is restricted for takeoff and landing, but flyover is not restricted?

Correct - not restricted by default, although flying over wilderness while retaining VLOS is not going to get you very far. Plus all the other considerations noted in the posts above.

 

[bumper]

Forest Service Land (not Wilderness Areas), is okay to land, as it pretty most all BLM land, I do so regularly with my Husky. Shown on top of Mt. Siegel, highest peak in the Pine Nut Range, 9,500'. Next time I land there, I plan to take some video with the M2P.

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2010-title36-vol2/pdf/CFR-2010-title36-vol2-sec212-51.pdf

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2011-title36-vol2/pdf/CFRA-2011-title36-vol2-sec261-15.pdf

 

[BigAl07]

Forest Service Land (not Wilderness Areas), is okay to land, as it pretty most all BLM land, I do so regularly with my Husky. Shown on top of Mt. Siegel, highest peak in the Pine Nut Range, 9,500'. Next time I land there, I plan to take some video with the M2P.

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2010-title36-vol2/pdf/CFR-2010-title36-vol2-sec212-51.pdf

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2011-title36-vol2/pdf/CFRA-2011-title36-vol2-sec261-15.pdf

View attachment 90259

Great picture!! I gotta admit I'm very jealous to say the least!!

Have you ever heard of Trent Palmer?

 

[AMann]

Great picture!! I gotta admit I'm very jealous to say the least!!

Have you ever heard of Trent Palmer?

Or Don Sheldon?

Wager with the Wind: The Don Sheldon Story: Greiner, James, Arness, James: 9780312853372: Amazon.com: Books

Wager with the Wind: The Don Sheldon Story [Greiner, James, Arness, James] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Wager with the Wind: The Don Sheldon Story

www.amazon.com

 

[bumper]

Anyone who flies in the bush, or aspires to, knows of Don Sheldon. There are other skilled, adventuresome pioneers, of course, but he was right up there with the best.

 

[BigAl07]

Granted Don Sheldon is an ICON (and that's an excellent read BTW), Trent Palmer is my current day role model. He flies drones for a living and flies his bushplane by Kitfox (Called Freedom Fox). He produces great videos almost weekly and his content is AWESOME!