Drones are being restricted on Town of Mammoth Lakes land. The Town Council approved an ordinance in the beginning of April 2019, since then it is required to have a permit to fly a drone on Town owned land. An ordinance already exists requiring a permit for planes and model rockets on town owned land. The council simply amended that ordinance to include drones.

The permit will only allow people to fly drones over town-owned land, which essentially means parks. It does not permit people to fly over federal land or neighborhoods, but it also doesn’t bar that behavior. The Forest Service defers to the FAA, so the passage of this ordinance would have no affect on drone use over federal land. 

As for neighborhoods, private land is not owned by the Town. Nothing in the ordinance prohibits people from flying drones over your house. A person can still legally launch a drone from their house and fly it over your house.