The National Park Service is getting serious about the ban on drones. Personally I don’t think the fine was stiff enough.“In the first application of the National Park Service’s anti-drone regulations, a German citizen named Andreas Meissner has pleaded guilty to several charges related to an ill-fated drone flight in Yellowstone National Park in July. He was sentenced to a one-year ban from the park, a year of unsupervised probation, and more than $1,600 in fines.While visiting from Germany, Meissner was using his drone and a GoPro camera to capture footage documenting a bicycle tour for a charity called Run and Ride for Reading. The drone crashed into Yellowstone Lake shortly after takeoff on July 18; it was recovered by a diver working for the park service 10 days later. Meissner was caught when he reached out to the park service to recover his drone.Drones, which have been showing up in all kinds of outdoor areas in the past couple years, were banned in all national parks in June. According to KUSA, two other drone pilots, including a man who crashed his drone into Yellowstone’s Grand Prismatic Spring, have been charged under the new law.”Earlier this year a tourist crashed his camera equipped drone into Yellowstone’s Grand Prismatic Spring.

What makes a drone different than an RC plane or helicopter? Most of these so called drones are no different in design and are operated within line of sight. I think the gov't is using this as an excuse to come up with new regulations that aren't needed. A true drone is operated remotely and guided via GPS (and typically carry hellfire missles). Classifying a hobby aircraft as a drone is a stretch. I don't even think FPV aircraft wouldn't fit the drone classification unless we're just going by the looks of the aircraft and not the actual function.

I think it's a good idea from a visitor safety point of view if nothing else. I use to fly R/C airplanes and it doesn't take long for a mistake to compound itself into a runaway plane. When you've got a R/C plane with up to a 6 hp motor spinning a 24" thick hard plastic propeller at 10-12K RPM, it can be a recipe for disaster. I think that since "drones" have become more abundant within the last couple of years, then they needed to firm up the rules to address this new type of vehicle.I don't want my family or I to have to worry about the skill level of a R/C vehicle operator flying a object above my head.

IMHO this is one piece of technology that has gotten way ahead of restrictions being put in place on SO many levels.The price of these drones has come in line that the average person can purchase them. That said inexperienced people are buying them and more importantly unscrupulous type of people. These drones in the hands of criminals and sickos making what they do easier for them is IMHO going to be a real, real big problem. Just saying.

I agree it's a bad idea to fly any aircraft in a densly populated area, but an outright ban is a bit overboard. I'n not familiar with NPS rules, but to they do the same with helicopters and planes? Maybe have designated R/C areas or specific off-limit areas where there's a high risk of injury if crashed...I'm not sure what the right answer here is. I just think it's odd that they specifically call these "drones" out because of a few idiots being idiots.

RVcircus wrote:What makes a drone different than an RC plane or helicopter? Most of these so called drones are no different in design and are operated within line of sight. I think the gov't is using this as an excuse to come up with new regulations that aren't needed. A true drone is operated remotely and guided via GPS (and typically carry hellfire missles). Classifying a hobby aircraft as a drone is a stretch. I don't even think FPV aircraft wouldn't fit the drone classification unless we're just going by the looks of the aircraft and not the actual function.When one crashes into a hot spring and get recovered, unless you volunteer to dive in, it will be there for a long time for folks to enjoy. :( :( Fewer regulations only works if you have fewer inconsiderate people.

NPS Drone Ban | Good Sam Community

54 Replies

RVcircus
Explorer II
Sep 24, 2014
I agree it's a bad idea to fly any aircraft in a densly populated area, but an outright ban is a bit overboard. I'n not familiar with NPS rules, but to they do the same with helicopters and planes? Maybe have designated R/C areas or specific off-limit areas where there's a high risk of injury if crashed...I'm not sure what the right answer here is. I just think it's odd that they specifically call these "drones" out because of a few idiots being idiots.
rockhillmanor
Explorer II
Sep 24, 2014
IMHO this is one piece of technology that has gotten way ahead of restrictions being put in place on SO many levels.

The price of these drones has come in line that the average person can purchase them. That said inexperienced people are buying them and more importantly unscrupulous type of people. These drones in the hands of criminals and sickos making what they do easier for them is IMHO going to be a real, real big problem. Just saying.
patperry2766
Explorer II
Sep 24, 2014
I think it's a good idea from a visitor safety point of view if nothing else. I use to fly R/C airplanes and it doesn't take long for a mistake to compound itself into a runaway plane.

When you've got a R/C plane with up to a 6 hp motor spinning a 24" thick hard plastic propeller at 10-12K RPM, it can be a recipe for disaster. I think that since "drones" have become more abundant within the last couple of years, then they needed to firm up the rules to address this new type of vehicle.

I don't want my family or I to have to worry about the skill level of a R/C vehicle operator flying a object above my head.
RVcircus
Explorer II
Sep 24, 2014
What makes a drone different than an RC plane or helicopter? Most of these so called drones are no different in design and are operated within line of sight. I think the gov't is using this as an excuse to come up with new regulations that aren't needed. A true drone is operated remotely and guided via GPS (and typically carry hellfire missles). Classifying a hobby aircraft as a drone is a stretch. I don't even think FPV aircraft wouldn't fit the drone classification unless we're just going by the looks of the aircraft and not the actual function.

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NPS Drone Ban

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