Yosemite National Park cracks down on drones that scare bears
Itching to get out there and make the most of your newly upgraded drone's ability to capture the majesty of Mother Nature? Well, your UAV isn't welcome at Yosemite National Park. In fact, it never was. Flying a drone was already illegal according to the Code of Federal Regulations governing the park, which says that "delivering or retrieving a person or object by parachute, helicopter or other airborne means" is prohibited for regular visitors. But a growing number of hobbyists have been ignoring this rule, forcing the Yosemite Park Service to reiterate the ban and explain why it's necessary. In a statement, it says that drones "can be extremely noisy, and can impact the natural soundscape." More generally, drones also "impact the wilderness experience," because there's nothing less nature-y than a hovering quadrocopter filming in full HD. It's not just the resident fauna that can be put in peril, either: Drones can apparently also interfere with emergency rescue operations.
