Bandelier National Monument has announced that until further notice, the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV’s) or other unmanned aircraft is prohibited in the monument. The popularity of UAV’s is rapidly rising, and they are increasingly being seen in National Parks and other protected areas that visitors seek out for quiet and solitude, not for the presence of buzzing drones. Recently there have been several incidents that have brought this situation to public attention. In some parks, UAV's have been observed harassing wildlife, as their owners attempted to get close-up photos. Visitors standing on the rim of the Grand Canyon, observing the vast landscape, had a noisy drone circle over their heads. And recently an unmanned aircraft crashed into Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone, a huge colorful steaming pool of near-boiling temperature water, third largest hot spring in the world. Now the park must determine what damage the machine will do by being in the spring, and how it can be removed without doing even more damage.
The new regulation at Bandelier, found in the Superintendents Compendium and available at the Visitor Center in Frijoles Canyon or on the monument website at www.nps.gov/BAND, states under part 1.5:
“Launching, landing, or operating an unmanned aircraft from or on lands and waters administered by the National Park Service within the boundaries of Bandelier National Monument is prohibited except as approved in writing by the Superintendent.”
The term "unmanned aircraft" means a device that is used or intended to be used for flight in the air without the possibility of direct human intervention from within or on the device, and the associated operational elements and components that are required for the pilot or system operator in command to operate or control the device (such as cameras, sensors, and communication links). This term includes all types of devices that meet this definition (e.g., model airplanes, quadcopters, drones) that are used for any purpose, including for recreation or commerce. Penalties may include fines up to $5000, six months in jail, and possible loss of the equipment.
Nationwide, National Park Service (NPS) park superintendents are required to exercise caution when confronted with a new use, such as UAV's. Presently the NPS and other Federal and local agencies are studying how best to regulate this new use. In the NPS, management policies state that a new form of recreational activity will not be allowed within a park until the area superintendent has made a determination that it will be appropriate and not cause unacceptable impacts. These impacts include impacts to the soundscape and viewscape affecting visitor enjoyment and the impact on wildlife including threatened and endangered species (Bandelier is concerned with Mexican Spotted Owls and Peregrine Falcons), as well as intentional or even unintentional harassment of other wildlife such as nesting songbirds, elk, deer, bear, and mountain lions.
Information from Bandelier National Monument