Flying in national parks U.S.

Ramz · Oct 17, 2014

This might save you some trouble so listen up. I had a friend that decided to fly in a park. His phantom got away in high wind and he couldn't find it after searching for 2 days. Feeling good that if found it would be returned because he had his name and address on it. He went to the ranger station and guess what. They had his phantom along with a citation and a court date waiting for him. He doesn't get his Phantom back until after court date in December if then.

GoodnNuff · Oct 17, 2014

Ramz said:
This might save you some trouble so listen up. I had a friend that decided to fly in a park. His phantom got away in high wind and he couldn't find it after searching for 2 days. Feeling good that if found it would be returned because he had his name and address on it. He went to the ranger station and guess what. They had his phantom along with a citation and a court date waiting for him. He doesn't get his Phantom back until after court date in December if then.

Your friend didn't know it was illegal to fly a drone in a National Park?

Clipper707 · Oct 17, 2014

Just for the sake of argument, what if he was flying outside a National Park and it got away because the high winds blew it over National Park, where it then landed?

GoodnNuff · Oct 17, 2014

Clipper707 said:
Just for the sake of argument, what if he was flying outside a National Park and it got away because the high winds blew it over National Park, where it then landed?

If he flew in a wind so strong that it could actually blow a Phantom off course, he doesn't sound like a very smart pilot.

But I suppose he might have to prove there was actually a wind that strong. I assume he is recording video? He would have a record of his launch site.

I flown on some pretty windy days and never had a situation where I felt the wind was causing me to lose control.

Ramz · Oct 17, 2014

He actually did not know it was illegal. Actually I don't know that its a law yet just and ordinance. I think it says you can't launch from a park and that is exactly what he did. He launched from the side of a mountain sheltered from the wind but when it got out in the wind sheer it was way stronger than anticipated.

GoodnNuff · Oct 17, 2014

Drones, officially called Unmanned Aircraft Systems, are prohibited within all national parkland boundaries by regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations Thirty Six CFR 2.17(a)(3), which states: “‘…delivering or retrieving a person or object by parachute, helicopter, or other airborne means, except in emergencies involving public safety or serious property loss, or pursuant to the terms and conditions of a permit’ is illegal. This applies to drones of all shapes and sizes.”

I've heard that it doesn't matter if you launch outside the park, once you are over the park, you are "operating within the park" which is not currently legal.

You can google what has been happening at Yellowstone Park - several tourists fined hefty fines, and their drones confiscated.

houldsworth1 · Oct 20, 2014

This might be of interest:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/gregorymcne ... 5000-fine/

dtitus6297 · Oct 27, 2014

Is this also for state forests I wonder? I was just flying in one and posted my vid to u tube. Maybe I should take down the vids

CarlJ · Oct 27, 2014

dtitus6297 said:
Is this also for state forests I wonder? I was just flying in one and posted my vid to u tube. Maybe I should take down the vids

You should check with the state park in question before flying, might be a good idea to remove the video until you know for certain.

To the OP:
I had posted here on the forum in another thread that I have a life long friend that is a Naturalist Ranger at Grand Canyon, and while talking with him about the ban on flying he informed me that Park Service is actively seeking videos on youtube for prosecution, and that they plan to litigate all cases to the fullest extent of the law...so your friend is in a **** ton of trouble.

He needs an attorney that is well versed with the federal court system.

GoodnNuff · Oct 27, 2014

dtitus6297 said:
Is this also for state forests I wonder? I was just flying in one and posted my vid to u tube. Maybe I should take down the vids

National Forests and State Forests are not restricted. National Forests are quite different from National Parks.

chaghal · Oct 27, 2014

im not from america but was there two months ago and asked at most national parks if i could fly, the ranger at grand canyon entrance told me it would be a good way to get into trouble with the law quickly. Such a shame as there was many parks i went to that were totally empty and well worth a flight but didnt want to risk it, saying that just outside a national park was fair game imo ;-)