Since 2014 it's been against the law to fly drones in national parks without written permission from the National Park Service/NPS
Yellowstone National Park staff never was able to recover a drone that crashed into Grand Prismatic Spring back in 2014. And Yosemite National Park investigators were unable last year to find a drone pilot whose aircraft forced a park helicopter to land out of safety concerns. What if those who illegally fly their drones in parks are banned from the parks for life?
It's an idea a headline writer in South Africa had after the restriction was ignored by a photographer.
Kruger National Park in South Africa banned drones back in 2014 for "game viewing, filming, photography or any other purposes."
At the time, William Mabasa, the park's general manager for communications and marketing, said that, "We have had two incidents reported by tourists in the KNP recently of people flying such aircraft illegally, getting out of vehicles on undesignated areas, interfering in sightings; disturbing and stalking animals; only to feign innocence upon questioning. We would like to inform such people and other drone users that, should they be found flying them in the Park at any time, they will be arrested on the spot and their equipment will be seized."
Under South Africa's National Environmental Management Act, "it is illegal to fly below 2,500 feet above the highest point of any national park, including (Kruger), with any aircraft/drone without the express permission."
Against that background, a visitor showed up at Kruger earlier this month and was observed by other park visitors getting out of his vehicle with a drone, apparently intending to film wildlife at a waterhole. The other visitors notified park authorities, and South African Police officers and park protection service personnel were waiting at Kruger's Phalaborwa Gate when the drone pilot headed out of the park. They stopped him, searched his vehicle, and found a drone, which they confiscated.
“He explained that he did not go through his permit rules and was not aware of the ban on drones inside the park,” said Kruger spokesman Ike Phaahla.
“Flying such aircraft, getting out of vehicles on undesignated areas, interfering in sightings, and disturbing and stalking animals is illegal within the park and will bear consequences. We would like to inform wrongdoers and other drone users that, should they be found flying them in the park at any time, they will be arrested on the spot and their equipment will be seized,” said Mr. Phaahla.
While a story on sUAS News carried a headline saying the individual was banned from Kruger for life, park officials on Thursday told the Traveler that the headline was wrong and the photographer was not banned from Kruger for life. But he did lose his drone.
While the U.S. National Park Service also bans drone flights in the park system without specific permission, it does not ban pilots found to violate the restriction, though they can be fined $5,000 and sentenced to six months in jail.
The drone that crashed into Grand Prismatic Spring is still there, though expected to slowly disintegrate.
"It is still in place and will likely break down over time," the public affairs staff said Wednesday. "No one is sure how long that process will take. Recovery could have done more damage, and safety concerns were a factor, too."
Along with the incidents in Yellowstone and Yosemite, there was one in Zion National Park in 2014 in which a drone was reportedly harassing wildlife, other incidents in Yellowstone, a report of a drone hovering over grizzlies in Grand Teton National Park, and more than a few instances, at least, of drones flying around the Washington Monument, and an incident at Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park in which a ranger had to use his taser on the pilot. Last year alone Yellowstone rangers filed 27 criminal cases between April and December, according to park staff.
Canadian law also bans drones in that country's parks, and a Calgary man earlier this year was fined $500 for flying a drone in Banff National Park. He could have been fined $25,000 under the law.
Comments
I have been flying drones for 5+ years. I am an avid photographer and bought my first one to take to the Grand Canyon, thought it would make for some spectacular images. this was back when there were no laws/regulations about their use in the parks. 5 minutes after flying for first time in my yard, I told myself no way would I ever fly this in a park. Drones are a lot of fun and you obviously get a different view/image along with some pretty cool photos but there is a time and place for everything and the parks are neither the time or place, Baning from the park in question would be a start. I would be a lot tougher.
i own several drones I did take them on vacation with me bac in August 2018 i knew I couldn't fly in any national park but did witness a young man flying In Arches NP i aproch him and he basically told me to F off! I was just going to,warn him (if he was really ignorant of the rules) but he knew he was in the wrong so he wasn't even trying to hide? It was in a parking lot full of people and cars! He broke so many rules on basic UAV flight (not flying over people was number one) but by the time I made it to the welcome center to report him he was probably long gone! I was part of a Drone forum and I was shocked that there's were a lot of people that thought I should mind my own business? IMHO it was my bu it's my park and everyone elses if someone is doing something wrong in a protected place they deserve to get punished! The government shutdow I'm sure has allowed a lot of people to break this rule (no law enforcement on site) pe are trashing the parks I don't know if this issue has been addressed yet? But the parks are for everyone they belong to everyone we have to share and protect them! There's no other place on earth like the NPs in the USA! I was mostly saddened by the professional drone forum that basically allowed people to side with the guy who was flying In Arches! I hate rules that are over restrictive but they are there because of people that don't care! If we let people abuse the system it's only going to make it harder on everyone else! So yes we need to open our eyes and mouths to help prevent these things from happening! the usa is not a lawless Wild West anymore! Let's keep the hobby alive for everyone and not ruin it People please! I purchased my drones before I knew there we rules against there use in NPs (I don't mind the rules) my reason for buying them is I am rec disabled and can't climb or hike into places most people can I wanted to use them as a tool to see what a can't physically get to anymore! I worked all my life paid my taxes to support the parks And planed on seein the great parks when I retired but it didn't work out that way! If people used there heads these rules might not be so harsh! It ruined it for everyone! Maybe one day there will be exceptions for people like me ? im not holding my breath because people still don't care and will try to break the rules until they get caught even then they might try again? Now I'm not saying everyone has a don't care additude it only takes one to do something really stupid!
what is the point of having a drone, and not being able to take footage of the beautiful scenery? Seems like we need to come to some kindve arrangement, or regulation, because drones aren't going anywhere. All out banning them from the places we want to photograph is over the top in my opinion. If you have to get a license and insurance just like driving is a privilege, then so be it. But come on.. let's figure out some kindve compromise.
What a bummer, Tyler. I know what you mean. I wanna fly my drone into Jessica Chastain's swimming pool changing room, but no one was willing to work with me on a compromise.
There is a lot of beautiful scenery out there that is not NPS land. Get over it. You can't always get what you want, witness my Jessica Chastain longing.
Rick, comparing your weird fantasy to that of a responsible, licensed, insured drone owner who would like to photograph iconic places throughout the US and even world is just asinine. We all love photography and the ability to capture those breath taking images for a reason. What Tyler is suggesting or asking for is not unreasonable or over the top, unlike your weird peeping tom fetish.
I happen to be a responsible, licensed, insured dirty old man. Sorry, Bob - it's still just his whimsy versus mine. The amount of disposable income he happens to have invested into his fancy is irrelevant. Weighing your or Tyler's desire to photograph national parks against the incredible damage done just with the drones mentioned in the article above at Yellowstone and Yosemete.... I have to admit it sounds like you either didn't read the article, or read it only through the colored lens of your perticular hobby. Which is indeed asinine.
And admiring Jessica Chastain is not weird.
I'll propose the Park Service sell a "Drone Day" waiver for national parks. This would be a day set aside for pilots who've registered for the waiver in advance with a general flight plan. There are so many beautiful perspectives unexplored in our parks; to set aside a day or two a season would help serve everbody's interest. I"d be shooting ony during the golden hours when there are fewer people about. Many of us comport ourselves well on state land, BLM land and other legal public lands, so there is evidence photo drone operators can be responsible.
Because of really dumb people who have ruined it, the restrictions on drone flying is effing rediculous, here there and everywhere. The most scenic areas banned from arieally viewing scenic areas? Why not just pass out blindfolds at National Park entry. This is OVERKILL! Yes they need to have licenses approved with special drone corridors and such. Ways of not reducing anyone's natural moments by sight or sound and restrictions of course on safety. We could do this as drone folks can "police" others who are abusive. We need common sense lawas like areas where we can elevate to take grand pictures etc. National Park Service could design such and even have geofencing as insurance. C'mon lets to work people.