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Aug 25

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A DJI enterprise drone hovers beside the ornate green-tiled eaves of a multi-story wooden Chinese heritage tower, with the gray-roofed old town spread out below.

National Parks · DJI

DJI Opens Heritage 3D Contest. US National Parks Are Off-Limits.

DJI Enterprise's World Heritage 3D contest runs to October 10. It suggests national parks as subjects. In the US, those are the illegal ones.

Haye KestelooAug 256 min read

DJI

AVSS completes first live avalanche drone testing in Jasper National Park

Canadian drone safety company AVSS has completed its first round of live, on-mountain avalanche control testing using its Precision Avalanche Management System (PAMS) in Jasper National Park, Alberta. The test used AVSS’s SnowDart hardware and flight planning software on an existing avalanche control route inside the national park, with support from Parks Canada, Transport Canada,…

Haye KestelooFeb 5

Underwater drone

Broads Authority deploys underwater drone to monitor UK waterways, slashing inspection costs

The Broads Authority is trialing an underwater drone to inspect lock gates and sunken vessels across its 125-mile waterway network in eastern England. The move signals a growing recognition that remotely operated vehicles can handle jobs that once required expensive dive teams. The authority purchased a Chasing M2 Pro Max ROV for £10,881, funded entirely…

Haye KestelooJan 26

Police

Yosemite Visitors Fly Drones Freely as Ranger Shortage Guts NPS Enforcement

The NYTimes confirms what we reported in 2025: Yosemite's 25% ranger staffing cuts have created an enforcement vacuum for illegal drones

Haye KestelooJan 21

Search & Rescue

Illegal Drone Flight Near Lake Louise Highlights Aviation Risk

A man fined $2,000 for illegally flying a drone near Lake Louise has reignited concerns about the growing danger drones pose to helicopters and rescue crews operating in Canada’s national parks, as CBC reported. The incident occurred last year in Banff National Park, one of the busiest helicopter operating environments in the country. The drone…

Rafael SuárezJan 20

Anarchy in the Sky: DJI Drones Invade Yosemite

United States

Yosemite gets Invaded By DJI Drones: Anarchy in the Sky

Yosemite National Park: The ban was introduced to protect wildlife, preserve peace for visitors, and prevent collisions in one of the country’s most

Rafael SuárezNov 4

The Verge Confirms What We've Been Saying: Nobody Is Replacing DJI, and Drones Are Now for War - DJI Mini 5 Pro on Amazon: Only 7 Days Left to Buy Before December 23 Deadline - 7 Reasons the DJI Mini 5 Pro Owns Travel Photography

Police

Raleigh’s Drone Park Rules Expose Nationwide Federal Authority Confusion

Raleigh, North Carolina’s newly published drone park guidelines showcase a problem plaguing municipalities across America: cities can’t seem to figure out where their authority ends and federal airspace control begins. The confusion isn’t just an academic legal debate—it directly impacts every recreational and commercial drone pilot trying to understand which rules actually apply to their…

Haye KestelooNov 1

United States

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…

Haye KestelooOct 23

National Parks

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