Yosemite National Park Bans Drones
The Park says that the use of drones can disturb other visitors and wildlife
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Yosemite has had enough of mindless drones. The National Park announced that drones "of all shapes and sizes" are not permitted within the park. That means no more videos like this one:
From NBC News:
[M]ore park visitors have begun using drones within the last few years -- particularly to film aerial footage of the park and people who are climbing.
That's a problem for Yosemite for several reasons, the Park Service said. Drones can be noisy, they can ruin the experience for other visitors and they don't exactly blend in with the great outdoors. The aircraft can also harm wildlife in Yosemite, and interfere with emergency services, the Park Service added.
Of course, there is already some furor over the announcement. One Forbes contributer called Yosemite's legal justification “absurd.” The park is arguing that drone use is prohibited under federal regulations which says that:
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.
Whether or not that regulation sticks, it’s probably a good idea to just leave the drones at home for your next Yosemite vacation, and just use a camera instead.