Illegal Drone Flights Surge in Yosemite as Government Shutdown Cripples Ranger Enforcement

Illegal drone activity is spiking across U.S. national parks as the federal government shutdown enters its 23rd day, with tour guides in Yosemite reporting multiple daily sightings compared to their normal rate of about one drone per week.

The enforcement vacuum comes as the National Park Service operates with skeleton crews after losing 24% of its permanent staff since January and furloughing the majority of remaining rangers during the shutdown that began October 1.

Why This Matters for Drone Pilots Now

This situation represents a critical moment for the drone community. While some pilots exploit reduced enforcement to fly illegally in protected areas, their actions threaten to trigger even harsher restrictions for all drone operators nationwide. The National Park Service banned drones in 2014, and violations carry penalties of up to $5,000 in fines and six months in jail.

Tour Guides Report Unprecedented Drone Activity in Yosemite

Elisabeth Barton, founding member of the Echo Adventure Cooperative tour company, told SF Gate that her guides usually see about one drone per week during normal park operations.

“There are lots of drones in the skies, like everywhere,” she said, noting that during the government shutdown, “they’re seeing multiple drones within a single tour.”

One guide reported seeing five drones in a single day at the pullout area near El Capitan. Other drone activity hotspots include Tunnel View, Glacier Point, and Bridalveil Fall.

Bryant Burnette, a tour guide who has worked in Yosemite for 15 years with the Echo Adventure Cooperative, described encountering pilots who respond negatively when reminded of the rules.

“I don’t know if it’s what’s going on in the world, but people have been less friendly recently,” Burnette said. “I’ve had people tell me that they don’t care and even one guy who said nothing and just flipped me off.”

Enforcement Collapse Creates “Wild West” Atmosphere

The problem extends beyond drones. An anonymous Yosemite park employee told SF Gate that only one wilderness ranger is currently working the entire park—and that person is technically a volunteer, not a National Park Service employee.

“There are lots of squatters in the campgrounds,” the employee said. “There are lots of people that truly believe they can do whatever they want because of the lack of rangers. They’ve told us.”

Yosemite covers 1,187 square miles (3,074 square kilometers)—roughly the size of Rhode Island. The vast terrain and minimal staffing make comprehensive enforcement impossible during the shutdown.

John DeGrazio, founder of tour company YExplore Yosemite Adventures, described the situation to SF Gate as “the Wild, Wild West.” He added: “This is different. These people are counting on no enforcement because of the shutdown.”

Problem Extends Beyond Yosemite

The drone surge isn’t limited to Yosemite. A recent video from Great Smoky Mountains National Park captured on the popular Instagram account touronsofnationalparks showed a drone operator harassing a bear in a tree. The witness reported that the pilot “eventually chased the bear out of the tree with it.”

In June, a similar incident occurred in Yellowstone when a visitor was charged with “buzzing” an osprey nest with a drone.

Elizabeth Peace, a spokesperson for the Interior Department, disputed some characterizations of widespread chaos, telling SF Gate that “all 13 of Yosemite’s major campgrounds remain staffed, and personnel are actively monitoring sites and ensuring compliance.” However, she acknowledged that wilderness rangers—who patrol trails and check permits—operate with reduced numbers.

Why Drones Are Banned in National Parks

The National Park Service implemented a system-wide drone ban in June 2014 through Policy Memorandum 14-05 following multiple incidents. Drones crashed into geysers at Yellowstone National Park, got lost over the edge of the Grand Canyon, and caused wildlife harassment at multiple locations.

The regulations explicitly prohibit launching, landing, or operating drones within park boundaries. Even the recent Explore Act signed in January 2025, which eased other filming restrictions, specifically maintained the existing drone ban.

DJI Scandal Compounds Community Concerns

The surge in illegal flights comes just weeks after DJI faced criticism for its Mavic 4 Pro promotional video that featured footage clearly filmed in restricted national parks and Navajo tribal lands. DJI quietly removed the video after widespread backlash, but never explained how the footage was legally obtained or if proper permits were secured.

Burnette referenced the broader societal tensions when explaining pilot attitudes:

“People are always ignoring the rules or trying to find loopholes,” he said. “Sure, it’d be nice to shoot our own videos across Yosemite, but I know we’d be affecting things like peregrine falcon habitats. It’s not worth it.”

DroneXL’s Take

This shutdown-fueled enforcement collapse exposes a harsh reality the drone community needs to confront: increased accessibility doesn’t equal increased responsibility.

The National Park Service was already on life support before the shutdown. Our February coverage documented how staffing cuts of approximately 1,000 workers created enforcement gaps that illegal operators would inevitably exploit. Now, with the majority of remaining rangers furloughed, we’re seeing exactly what park advocates warned about.

But here’s what should concern every responsible drone pilot: these violations aren’t happening in a vacuum. When DJI—the world’s largest drone manufacturer—gets caught with illegal national park footage in marketing materials, then pulls the video without explanation, it sends a message that rules are negotiable if you’re big enough. When individual pilots see multiple drones flying in Yosemite with no consequences, it erodes the social contract that makes voluntary compliance work.

The tour guides witnessing this surge deserve credit for attempting education despite hostile responses. Burnette’s comment about affecting peregrine falcon habitats hits the core issue—these bans exist because drones demonstrably harm wildlife, from bears being chased out of trees to nesting birds abandoning sites.

When this shutdown ends—and it will—the National Park Service will document every incident. Those reports become ammunition for advocacy groups pushing for even stricter federal drone regulations beyond park boundaries. Every illegal flight in Yosemite today risks tighter restrictions for Part 107 operators working legally everywhere else tomorrow.

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