No Drones Allowed at Yosemite National Park
- By Ginger Hill
- May 05, 2014
The summer heat is slowly trickling in and that means kids out of school and time for some family fun! One popular vacation spot for families is 
Yosemite National Park where everyone can experience the tranquility of waterfalls, valleys, meadows giant sequoia trees and a vast wilderness area first hand. And, to make sure the park keeps its reputation and that you and your family have a safe and enjoyable nature experience, the National Park Service has issued a ban on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), better known as drones.
In conjunction with an existing federal conservation regulation prohibiting the “delivering or retrieving of a person or object by parachute, helicopter or other airborne means, except in emergencies involving public safety…,” amateur videographers are no longer permitted to use drones to capture some amazing shots of the park’s natural beauty. (Guess they’ll have to pay the entry fee just like everyone else now.) The drones are a nuisance because of the sounds they produce, which can impact the wildlife, such as “sensitive nesting peregrine falcons on cliff walls.”
Related to security, the Park Service noted that drones can also “cause confusion and distraction for rescue personnel and other parties involved in a rescue operation,” clearly of which could be life or death.
About the Author
Ginger Hill is Group Social Media Manager.