Yosemite reminds us that flying robots aren't allowed

[RoguePhotonic]

It's not surprising that a new release would be issued since it's a growing trend to use these drones to make cool movies. Using them in Yosemite Valley could get all sorts of cool views flying up the water falls.

[maverick]

Markskor wrote:
Rather than being immediately dismissive of any use in the park, if flights were/are
limited to SAR... could be an efficient tool, especiallly on big walls.

Agree, their usage for SAR purposes, and against poachers would be a good idea.

[Wandering Daisy]

Like all technology, drones can be used for good or bad. Definitely an asset for SAR work. But, all it would take is for a few bad apples to make drones a real annoyance. I too do not want my old wrinkled naked body as I skinny dip or my morning squat to show up on some internet site! I also do not want a drone to be like the traffic cop. I mostly an well behaved in the wilderness, but, do not want to be anxious about being caught if I occasionally slip up. Come back out and you are ticketed for camping 95 feet from water instead of 100 feet. I go to the wilderness to get AWAY from technology and being watched. It would degrade my wilderness experience, even if I did not directly see one on a trip. Technology is also not infallible. I can see it now- "hiker clobbered by malfunctioning drone" or "forest fire started by crashed drone".

[AlmostThere]

It's not surprising that a new release would be issued since it's a growing trend to use these drones to make cool movies. Using them in Yosemite Valley could get all sorts of cool views flying up the water falls.

Until everyone has one, and all you are getting is footage of other drones jockeying for position.

All the more reason to stay far, far in the backcountry as you can get.

[RoguePhotonic]

I remember back when I used to fly RC airplanes more thinking that Death Valley would be a great place to do it. On a nice flat lake bed with no wind in open space but then I was reading on their site that it's illegal.

Actually if you look at the whole list of what is illegal in Death Valley it's both amazing and comical.