A deleted DJ music video featuring footage inside Grand Teton National Park has reignited scrutiny over federal drone bans, which carry steep fines and jail time.
A sign in Grand Teton National Park warns visitors that drones are prohibited without special authorization. The park is reviewing a video showing a DJ performing on a mountainside with apparent drone footage. (Photo: Moonstone Images)
Published October 23, 2026 03:47PM
A DJ’s mountainside performance video has drawn online criticism for aerial footage reportedly filmed in Grand Teton National Park, where unauthorized drone operations carry federal criminal penalties.
According to Wyoming newspaper Jackson Hole News and Guide, a YouTube user posted drone clips on October 14 that showed a man in a green jacket mixing music at Blacktail Butte, a 7,000-foot mountain in the park.
Outside reached out to the video creator but did not receive a response at the time of publication.
Emily Davis, Grand Teton National Park spokesperson, told Outside that officials are aware of the footage, but did not specify the filming location, whether the drone operator had written authorization, or whether rangers had issued citations.
“Drones can disturb or displace wildlife, create noise, detract from the natural soundscape and scenic views, and pose safety hazards to visitors,” Davis told Outside. “Unauthorized flights can also ground aerial search-and-rescue missions and wildland firefighting operations.”
Drones Are Prohibited in National Parks
In 2014, the National Park Service (NPS) banned drones at all 433 NPS-managed sites without written approval from the park superintendent. Violators face a $5,000 fine and up to six months in jail.
This isn’t the first time recreational drones have sparked controversy in national parks.
In May 2026, a visitor in neighboring Yellowstone National Park filmed an unauthorized drone flying within feet of a famous grizzly sow, Beryl, and her two cubs along a roadway, Cowboy State Daily reported. The issue spans more than a decade. Back in 2014, a drone crashed into Yellowstone’s Grand Prismatic Spring, and another plunged into Yellowstone Lake that same year.
Reddit commenters questioned whether the apparent drone flight violated park rules, with one urging others to alert park officials.
Other drone incidents have drawn attention in Wyoming’s national parks, too. In 2017, Grand Teton rangers asked the public for help identifying a drone operator after an aircraft hovered over grizzly bears near Oxbow Bend. Park personnel did not locate the drone or its operator at the scene, according to an NPS statement at the time.
Park visitors, the NPS, and the internet have made one thing clear: unauthorized drones aren’t welcome in national parks.
