Illegal Flights Have Grown Since 2014, Shutdown May Have Effect

U.S. National Parks have prohibited the use of drones for any reason – absent a special permit – since 2014, yet increasing numbers of drone pilots have ignored the ban, and there are some reports that it’s gotten noticeably worse since the government shutdown, although that is not entirely clear.

Conducting illegal drone flights can lead to penalties of up to $5,000 and six months in jail.

The reasons for the rule should be obvious: generally disrupting visits with noise, harassment of both wildlife and humans, and a number of high-profile crashes. However, some drone pilots still selfishly choose to ignore the rules and continue to degrade the national park experience for other people as well as its animal and bird life.

One of the parks that seems more affected than others is Yosemite National Park, located in east-central California and easily one of the most accessible and popular parks in the system. Drone use and incidents in Yosemite have grown steadily alongside other illegal activities such as BASE jumping and wildlife harassment. Tour guides working in the park report that the number of drones has multiplied over the years and even more since the shutdown.
Elisabeth Barton, a founding member of Echo Adventure Cooperative, says fellow guides have reported “there are lots of drones in the skies, like everywhere.” She said her team typically sees about one drone per week, but that has spiked during the shutdown, with one guide reporting five in one day at the El Capitan pullout.

Elizabeth Peace is a spokesperson for the Department of the Interior, and although she acknowledged that drones have become more numerous generally, she said there has not been any increase in drone activity during the shutdown.

An email from the Park Service Public Affairs office said, “In recent years, park officials have observed a rise in illegal drone activity, which they attribute to the increasing affordability and availability of consumer drones. In response, Yosemite has expanded signage at park entrances and key visitor areas to remind the public of drone restrictions. During the current government shutdown, there have been sporadic reports of unauthorized drone use. Law enforcement rangers are responding to incidents as they arise.”

Other national parks, including Yellowstone in Wyoming and Great Smoky Mountains on the border between Tennessee and North Carolina, have experienced more individuals deliberately harassing wildlife including chasing them around in their natural habitat with drones.

The only personnel authorized to fly drones in national parks are park rangers who deploy them for search and rescue. All recreational drone use remains prohibited to preserve the natural experience of park visits for humans as well as the normal activities of its animals and birds.

FMI: www.nps.gov