Visitors at Mesa Verde National Park can relax. Buzzing drones will not bother them.
Increasingly utilized to record bird-eye views with mounted cameras, drones and other unmanned aircraft have been banned from use at Mesa Verde National Park. The prohibition was handed down in the 2014 Superintendent’s Compendium, which includes language barring unmanned aircraft from taking off or landing inside the park boundary.
“Mesa Verde National Park will enforce restrictions on the use of drones until the determination is made regarding their use and potential unintended consequences on park resource values, including Wilderness, solitude, quiet, and direct impacts to sensitive species” said Superintendent Cliff Spencer.
The new policy from the Office of the Director of the National Park Service restricting drone use in all national parks was issued earlier this summer. National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis said the decision was based on “serious concerns about the negative impact” of unmanned aircraft inside the nation’s parks.
“The primary goal is to ensure that we can protect park resources and ensure visitor safety while providing all visitors with a rich experience,” Jarvis said.
The interim policy against drone use is expected to remain in place until the National Park Service develops formal regulations to address unmanned aircraft.
tbaker@cortezjournal.com