We doubt that Howard Zahniser, author of the Wilderness Act, could have imagined the invention of remote-controlled flying robots. But we believe the intention of the Act was, in part, to ensure that wilderness areas remain free from increasing mechanization.

• When drones fly over or near wildlife, it can create stress that may cause significant harm — potentially resulting in death.
• Some creatures have far greater sensitivity to noises and vibrations than humans do. The high-pitched frequency of a buzzing drone can frighten animals, or interfere with feeding or breeding.
• Drones have been known to cause birds to dive bomb the “intruder”, ultimately wasting essential energy that they need for essential purposes.
• Intentional disturbance of animals during breeding, nesting, rearing of young, or other critical life history functions is not allowed unless approved as a permitted form of research or management.

A 2019 Cambridge University Press study found that “26% of the species that were disturbed [ by drones ] are included in one of the International Union for Conservation of Nature categories of threat. We found that wildlife that use aerial and terrestrial habitats are more likely to show a behavioural response than those occupying aquatic habitats.”