Sent A Letter Concerning Video Taken Over Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge

It all seemed innocent enough. UAV owner John Cornish had posted a video he had taken using a quadcopter on the day after Christmas, 2014 in the areas of Mt. Scott, Quanah Parker Lake, and the Holy City of the Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma. The video was not done for a commercial purpose, and yet it drew a rebuke and a "cease and desist" letter from the U.S. Government.

Cornish posted a photograph of the letter on Facebook. It says that the video violated National Wildlife Refuge special regulations, which Kelly Moran, LE Supervisor and the person who wrote the letter, said are "listed within brochures that are located near each entrance of the Refuge. In addition, there are signs directing individuals to the brochures. They are also available at the Visitor Center and the HQ office."

The letter apparently followed a telephone conversation with Cornish. Moran said in the letter that the investigation was begun because "of a complaint received from a member of the public." It states that remote controlled aircraft are prohibited in the refuge, and thanks Cornish for not only pulling his video from YouTube "as with 11,000 views" it "may impact others to believe that this activity is permitted."

Then, Moran invites Cornish to "continue to visit" the refuge.

Cornish says on the Facebook post that he had checked the National Wildlife Service website for "information prohibiting UAV's, and there was none whatsoever. Also noted as 'clear' on the "where to fly" map," he wrote. "Also no signs in the refuge. Only place the rule is given is a tiny paragraph in a brochure that one wouldn't get unless they were looking for it. Frustrating, but at least they didn't ticket me."

He also included a map showing where UAVs are prohibited, and says the area where the video was taken is not included (see above).

Cornish said in a later comment to his own post that " if, as the officer stated, the concern with UAV's is wildlife safety, they should ticket those who endanger wildlife with them, not do hobby videography in a safe and courteous manner. I told the officer it would be like banning photography because someone threw a camera at a bison."

FMI: http://www.fws.gov/refuge/Wichita_Mountains, http://digitalmedia.fws.gov/cdm/ref/collection/video/id/1835, https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10155116709785311&set=gm.632575126868546&type=1