Have you ever thought about adding the use of a drone to enhance your backpacking experience? You could capture a different perspective of your trips. Have you ever wondered what things look like just off a cliff face, for example?
Uses of drones continues to expand. Today, we use drones for search and rescue operations, geological mapping, military operations, traffic and crowd monitoring, border patrol, detecting of criminal activities, and delivery services.
Dixie, who has completed her hikes of the AT and the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), discusses the use of her drone in the backcountry. She offers remarks about her initial hesitation with adding a drone and how she has used it on the PCT. Dixie’s discussion of her drone begins at 0:46 and continues to 4:46.
Some don’t appreciate drones flying overhead. Drones in American are not weaponized, but some wonder whether a drone overhead is taking photos of them. There are concerns of privacy. Others consider drones to be noisy and distracting. The motion and noise of drones tend to scare wildlife. Perhaps we are waiting for a new type of drone to be designed and produced – a small, invisible, and silent drone.
If you do plan to add a drone to your backpack, make sure you are aware of applicable laws. The National Park Service (NPS) does not allow drones to operate on its properties. The NPS operates 87 National Monuments, 59 National Parks, 51 National Historic Sites, and more than 200 other locations.
What has been your experience with drones in the backcountry? What is keeping you from adding a drone to your backpack?