Making "Drone"

I poked around online and read up on Wright's Tower. There were some pros and cons. It's not a very recognizable landmark to most people. It's kind of a hike up there and it's in the middle of the woods. But it has a great view of Boston. I decided to drive up and check it out.

I must say that if you haven't been up there you should do a day hike. It's beautiful in the fall and the tower is not a crowded place. I was also pleasantly surprised to find a large vacant lot adjacent to the tower, which meant I'd have a very convenient and safe place to launch and land the drone. I also had a heart-stopping moment when I saw this sign posted at the entrance to the trail.

Sorry if you can't read the text. It reads, No person, except in an emergency, shall bring, land, or cause to descend within any reservation or parkway any airplane, parachute, or other apparatus of aviation, except by written permit from the Commissioner or his designee. Does a quadricopter count? Who the heck knows? My guess was that a small drone was not what this statute was all about, but in this age of hyper-security you simply cannot tell. And of course the consequences are not delineated. Are you thrown out of the park? Arrested as a terrorist? Again, who knows?

I decided that this was a risk worth taking. I decided that if I brought along several of my New Years cards as examples that if a park ranger stopped us, at worst we would get a reprimand.

Editor's note in 2026: This is probably a very bad idea.