Drones/Aircraft in the Backcountry

[JasonG]

I was curious so did a bit of digging. Maybe you all know this already.

 

Here is the USFS stance for wilderness areas and drones:

 

Motorized and mechanized equipment are not allowed, including drones (see below), bicycles, carts, wagons, chainsaws, hang gliders and off-road vehicles and other wheeled vehicles. Landing aircraft, air dropping or picking up supplies, materials or people are prohibited.

Public use of drones (including quadcopters, model aircraft and other unmanned aerial systems) is increasing in popularity. However, drones are motorized equipment and are prohibited in wilderness. Please help us protect wilderness character by leaving your drone at home when you visit a congressionally designated wilderness area. Federal regulation 36 CFR 261 18a states that the following are prohibited in a National Forest Wilderness:(a) Possessing or using a motor vehicle, motorboat or motorized equipment except as authorized by Federal Law or regulation.(b) Possessing or using a hang glider or bicycle.© Landing of aircraft, or dropping or picking up of any material, supplies, or person by means of aircraft, including a helicopter.

 

From: http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/mbs/passes-permits/?cid=stelprdb5405234

 

And drones are a no-no in national parks as well: http://home.nps.gov/news/release.htm?id=1601

 

Maybe this will be a topic for the updated NW Forest Plan?

[Jason4]

A ban on drones seems to fit with the anti-mechanized transport POV but why exclude hang gliders? That one seems out of place in this list.

[JasonG]

More detail on plane flights over wilderness areas, pretty interesting: http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2012/12/20/the-rules-about-flying-over-wilderness-areas/

Edited February 27, 2015 by JasonG

[matt_warfield]

A ban on drones seems to fit with the anti-mechanized transport POV but why exclude hang gliders? That one seems out of place in this list.

 

Agree. They are not powered and are quiet. Next will be kites.

 

[pcg]

More detail on plane flights over wilderness areas, pretty interesting: http://www.aneclecticmind.com/2012/12/20/the-rules-about-flying-over-wilderness-areas/

Good find. I recall, after mentioning I was buzzed at eye level by a border patrol heli, that Kelly Bush told me they were supposed to stay 900' off the deck in NCNP.

 

Thanks for bringing more info to this conversation Jason. I think one of the key points is what our expectations are when we venture into the great outdoors, and how we respect the expectations of others. If encounters with helis and drones become more frequent, and those encounters are not what people expect when they go into a specific area, then there will be more unhappy people. This will change with time as those expectations change. There is now talk about banning heli flights in the Grand Canyon.

 

I want my cake and I want to eat it too. I like the movies and they make it possible for people who cannot, for whatever reason, experience those places first hand, to do so in their mind. Interesting though, that the movies showing beautiful scenery to the tune of Pink Floyd or whatever, never show the sights and sounds of the devices buzzing around doing the filming.

 

 

[dougd]

Interesting. Thanks Jason