Arches, Canyonlands national parks ban drones

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Drones are now officially banned in Arches and Canyonlands national parks in southeastern Utah.

Kevin Moore, acting chief ranger for the two parks, says the unmanned aircrafts disrupt wildlife and are an intrusion on visitors looking for tranquility. They have seen an increase in use of drones in the last two years.

In June, National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis directed all parks to take steps to prohibit the use of the increasingly popular aircraft that are often used to take photos and videos.

The agency’s office in Moab, Utah, announced the rule in the two Utah parks Monday. The ban also extends to Hovenweep and Natural Bridges national monuments.

Two large national parks, Grand Canyon in Arizona and Zion in Utah, have already changed their rules to ban drones.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Federal News Network Logo
Log in to your WTOP account for notifications and alerts customized for you.

Sign up