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I recently found a high quality drone video on youtube flying around the Dacite Cliffs by the Don's Camp. This is a 15 minute video so grab a cold one, sit back and enjoy the ride.

I'm not sure what the regulations are for flying drones in the Superstition Wilderness, but I heard that they don't look favorably on them and a permit would almost be assured. I would check with the Mesa Ranger District for a clarification if anyone is thinking about using one in the Superstitions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcscAOOJxHg

Alston_Neal wrote:@SpiderLegs
I went and read the posts there and can't believe this guy would post the vids. It's like..yeah it's not right but I'm so cool I don't care. It is opening a great discussion though.

And I am patiently but effectively crushing him. He's too dumb to realize, though.

It reminds me of a conversation I had with a guy on a vehicle specif off road forum. He posted up that he was curious what it was like in the Maricopa Wilderness now that it said it was closed to vehicles. So he goes through the gate and drives a couple of miles in. I'm like WTF! It's closed to vehicles, why didn't you just hike in?
Because I didn't spend over $30K on my rig to walk.
So now the dronies are saying it's not a toy and I got money in it and I'm doing it.

@Alston_Neal

Unrelated but is your store going to be open tomorrow? I've been wanting to check you guys out and I might be in the area...

@JasonCleghorn
Ya 10-4, SW corner Marshall and Main. I'll try and be friendly.

I just carry a 35ft selfie stick so I don't need a drone.

@SpiderLegs
Maybe that's why I don't have an Instagram account.

Widowmaker wrote:@SpiderLegs Maybe that's why I don't have an Instagram account.

Are you afraid you might start flying drones in wilderness areas if you get an Instagram account?

I really like Instagram, and if you joined, you could like my pictures and follow me. Se la vie.

We went up to Seattle to see our son and stopped in at Ganja Goddess and got an insta gram. We are talking about the same thing right?

I'm pretty supportive of these drones in the wilderness

In a plot that would make Willy Wonka proud, the US Fish and Wildlife Service is deploying autonomous flying gumball machines loaded with candy to save one of North America’s rarest mammals.

http://www.treehugger....

@Tough_Boots
This seems like one of those ideas that sounds good on first thought but will end up having some crazy unintended consequences that nobody considered.

Plus, how can they treat the populations that live in wilderness areas!

I was followed by a drone on Thursday, just downhill from Wright Lake on the way back from Mt. Sneffels (CO). My brother-in-law was with me, and I didn't feel so bad about hating the drone because he hated it a lot more than I did and made some gestures at it when it flew in his face.

It's worth noting that a big portion of the area over which it flew is either posted private land or land marked as off-limits for tundra preservation. If the drone went down in most of where it was flying, entering to recover it would be trespassing or otherwise illegal.

@big_load
Is it possible to grab it if it comes too close or would that cause injury? I have never seen one flying.

Perhaps a well-timed swing of the hiking poles?

At the closest approach, it was about 15 feet away at head level, but hovering over a steep slope as we were on the trail (old jeep road).

Wildfires Are a No Drone Zone
http://www.nifc.gov/drones/

big_lorad wrote:As the Best Testosterone Boosters approach, it was about 15 feet away at head level, but hovering over a steep slope as we were on the trail (old jeep road).

I think drones are pretty cool as long as they're not annoying anybody. You can get some really good pictures with them too.

Yeah, I'm still against drones flying in the wilderness, mainly because they're an annoyance to anyone hiking down below.... but the following video is simply outstanding and beautiful. Anyone who has hiked the Peralta Trail, the Cave Trail and the trail to Robbers Roost can appreciate the sights that can only be obtained from above.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ttewjek2jOU

RickySix wrote:I think drones are pretty cool as long as they're not annoying anybody. You can get some really good pictures with them too.

They're always annoying someone, if they're in a Wilderness.

The forest service provides these "TIPS", among others here - http://www.fs.fed.us/s...
Point 3 seems to imply people are using drones for hunting and fishing and I suppose shooting from drones, maybe even at night with a spotlight attachment, will be the new thing for poachers.

Protect Wildlife & the Environment

1) Do not fly over congressionally designated Wilderness Areas or Primitive Areas as many people seek these places for the opportunities for solitude and quiet that they provide.
2) Do not fly over or near wildlife as this can create stress that may cause significant harm, and even death. Intentional disturbance of animals during breeding, nesting, rearing of young, or other critical life history functions is not allowed unless approved as research or management.
3) Follow state wildlife and fish agency regulations on the use of UAS to search for or detect wildlife and fish.
4) Launch the UAS more than 100 meters (328 feet) from wildlife. Do not approach animals or birds vertically with the UAS.

I know I do not want to be on video or subjected to loud annoying sounds, _ever_

There is some guy who is making a new hiking site for the Tucson area supposedly to help with safety and he mentioned to me that its in the plan to drone all of the trails.
To be honest, instead of a working on the new website which I dont see how its really going to be that different from the resources available on hikearizona, if this person and crew of developers would just volunteer to do some of the much needed trail maintenance around here I believe it would provide much more value.

Tucson dog park.