Illegal drone flight near Lake Louise, Alta., highlights risks for helicopters, rescue crews

An incident that saw a adult male come to with a $2,000 amercement for fast a drone on near Lake Louise last year is drawing attention to the risks drones pose to helicopters operating in Banff National Park.

The man operating the drone pleaded guilty in December in Canmore court.

Parks Canada said what made this case more serious is that a helicopter had flown through the same area about 30 minutes earlier, carrying staff doing avalanche control work.

Paul Friesen, park warden supervisor for Lake Louise, said drones pose serious risks to aircrafts and their crews.

“Drones are small and they move quickly. They’re difficult for pilots to see, and if a drone does strike an aircraft, it can result in a serious accident,” Friesen said.

The agency said there have been more than 400 reported incidents involving drones since 2022 in Banff, including 113 reports in 2025. Only a small number of those incidents resulted in charges.

Aviation safety expert David Curry said many drone users underestimate the risks, especially when using small consumer drones.

“People think it’s a toy and it’s fine, but it’s not,” Curry said.

He said all drones can cause catastrophic damage, depending on where they hit. The worst place, he said, is the helicopter’s tail.

“So the aircraft actually just spins into the ground,” he said. 

Because of these risks, pilots who spot drones near their aircraft have to leave the area or land. 

This is especially worrisome, Curry said, when it comes to search and rescue operations or other emergency situations.

During the Chetamon wildfire in Jasper National Park in September 2022, eight firefighting helicopters were grounded for more than an hour after an illegal drone was spotted in the area. The drone operator later pleaded guilty and was fined $10,000.

“When you consider the damage that a forest fire can do — how many hectares of land are going up — and the helicopter has to land because someone's flying a drone nearby,” Curry said.

Curry lives in Canmore and often sees people using drones in Banff.

He said Canada’s drone regulations contribute to the confusion, especially around smaller drones. 

Drones over 250 grams must be registered with the federal government and users need to complete training to use them. 

Small drone users don’t need to do either of those things, which Curry said leads many users to believe safety rules do not apply to them.

“Probably 70 per cent of people I speak to say, ‘It’s under 250 grams, so I don’t have to follow the rules,’” he said.

But flying drones in national parks is illegal, regardless of size.

In this case, Parks Canada said the man’s drone was 852 grams and should have been registered with the government, but was not.

Parks Canada also said the man was warned by another park visitor that drones were not allowed in the national park, but continued flying anyway.

Curry is disappointed by the $2,000 charge the man received. He said penalties need to be higher to deter people from ignoring the rules.

“It’s a slap on the wrist, when you consider what could have happened,” he said. “Until there are severe penalties, people are just going to keep doing it.”

Parks Canada encourages anyone who witnesses illegal drone use in the park to report it.

Reporter/Editor

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