Drone Exploration of Rose Island, Newport, RI (DJI Phantom 4 Pro) [4K]

Rose Island is an 18.5-acre (7.5 ha) island in Narragansett Bay off Newport, Rhode Island, United States.

Rose Island has had an important history on Narragansett Bay due to its strategic location at the entrance to the Newport Harbor. At the time of the American Revolution, both colonial and British troops occupied the island, at different times, to defend Newport. During the First and Second World Wars, Rose Island was occupied by the US Navy and was used to store torpedoes, manufactured at the Newport torpedo factory on nearby Goat Island, safely away from the mainland.

The wood-framed Rose Island Lighthouse was constructed in 1869 atop the remains of the 18th century Fort Hamilton’s south gun battery, and was activated in January, 1870. Because of its proximity to Newport, Rose Island was more accessible than many other lighthouse stations of its time. Lighthouse keepers on duty there, still had to deal with extreme weather, creative provisioning, and isolation at times.

When the Newport Bridge opened in 1969, the Rose Island Lighthouse became obsolete and in 1971 Rose Island was deactivated. For a period of time during the 1970’s the lighthouse and Rose Island were under the stewardship of the University of Rhode Island and used for marine research. Ultimately, however, the school was unable to maintain the facilities, and the badly vandalized lighthouse was returned to the federal government. In 1984, when the lighthouse was declared surplus property, the city of Newport took it over.

After several failed attempts by private investors to develop Rose Island as an island resort during the 1980’s, a local group was formed to protect and preserve the lighthouse and the history of Rose Island. The Rose Island Lighthouse Foundation, with support from both public and private funding, completely restored the lighthouse and in 1992 the lighthouse was opened to the public. In 1993 the landmark lighthouse was finally relit, becoming one of the only few operating lighthouses maintained solely by dedicated and passionate volunteers.

The Island is only accessible by boat. The best way to travel to the Rose Island Lighthouse is by the Newport-Jamestown Ferry. If you own your own boat you’re welcome to tie up at the dock. If you have a small sailing craft, canoes, or kayaks you can land on the beaches near the lighthouse.