be5f5cb8-9839-4827-98b3-c519aa546acc

## Drone Rules - Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park

**Drone flights are banned** in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park.

### Key Rules
- No recreational drone use within the park
- Commercial filming requires a Special Use Permit from California State Parks
- Stout Memorial Grove contains some of the most pristine old-growth coast redwood stands accessible to the public

### Source
- California State Parks: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=413

## Drone Rules - McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park

**Drone use is prohibited** at McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park.

### Key Rules
- No recreational drone flights within the park
- Commercial use requires a Special Use Permit from California State Parks
- The 129-foot waterfall and spring-fed stream support rare aquatic species in the Cascade foothills

### Source
- California State Parks: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=448

## Drone Rules - Big Basin Redwoods State Park

**Drone flights are banned** in Big Basin Redwoods State Park.

### Key Rules
- No recreational drone use within the park
- Commercial filming requires a Special Use Permit from California State Parks
- California's first state park (est. 1902) protects ancient coast redwoods over 2,000 years old

### Source
- California State Parks: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=540

## Drone Rules - Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park

**Drones are not permitted** in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park.

### Key Rules
- No recreational drone flights within the park
- Commercial use requires a Special Use Permit from California State Parks
- The redwood groves along the Big Sur River and coastal bluffs are strictly protected

### Source
- California State Parks: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=570

## Drone Rules - Humboldt Redwoods State Park

**Drone use is prohibited** in Humboldt Redwoods State Park.

### Key Rules
- No recreational drone flights within the park
- Commercial use requires a Special Use Permit from California State Parks
- Contains the largest contiguous old-growth coast redwood forest including the famous 'Avenue of the Giants'

### Source
- California State Parks: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=425

## Drone Rules - Angel Island State Park

**Drone flights are banned** at Angel Island State Park.

### Key Rules
- No recreational drone use on the island
- Commercial filming requires a Special Use Permit
- The island sits within the San Francisco Bay SFRA; FAA authorization is also required for any drone flight

### Source
- California State Parks: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=468

## Drone Rules - Mount Tamalpais State Park

**Drone use is prohibited** in Mount Tamalpais State Park.

### Key Rules
- No recreational drone flights within the park
- Commercial use requires a Special Use Permit from California State Parks
- Old-growth redwood groves and raptor migration corridors are sensitive to aerial disturbance

### Source
- California State Parks: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=471

## Authorization Status
- Recreational: ❌ 100% Banned
- Commercial (Part 107): ❌ Not allowed without USFWS Special Use Permit
- Wilderness: ❌ Okefenokee Wilderness absolute motorized ban

## Geographic Boundaries
Okefenokee NWR is located in Ware, Charlton, and Clinch Counties,
Georgia, and Baker County, Florida.
- Total area: ~402,000 acres
- Coordinates: 30.7500° N, 82.3333° W
- Includes Okefenokee Wilderness (~353,981 acres), Suwannee River
  headwaters, and Stephen C. Foster State Park buffer
- Largest blackwater swamp in North America
- Nearest city: Waycross, GA (~10 miles north — Folkston entrance)

## Regulations
- USFWS Refuge UAS Policy prohibits all UAS without Special Use Permit
- 50 CFR § 27.34 — USFWS motorized equipment prohibition on refuges
- Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. § 1131) — Okefenokee Wilderness
- Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. § 703) — protects sandhill
  cranes, wood storks, and neotropical migrants
- Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. § 1531) — red-cockaded
  woodpecker and indigo snake habitat protections
- FAA 14 CFR Part 107 governs commercial operations nationwide
- Airspace: Class E above 700 ft AGL; surface Class G within refuge

## Penalties
- USFWS fines up to $5,000 per violation under 50 CFR § 27.34
- Wilderness Act penalties for motorized equipment in wilderness zones
- MBTA fines up to $15,000 + 6 months per bird disturbance
- ESA Section 9 "take" penalties up to $25,000 civil +
  $50,000 criminal + 1 year imprisonment
- FAA civil penalties up to $27,500 per violation per day
- Equipment confiscation by USFWS officers

## Special Permissions
- USFWS Special Use Permit for scientific wildlife research
- ESA Section 10 Incidental Take Permit for listed species research
- Wilderness permit required for swamp interior operations
Submit requests to: Okefenokee NWR Manager,
4700 Okefenokee Drive, Folkston, GA 31537

## Drone Rules - Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge




**Drone use is prohibited** at Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.









### Key Rules
- No recreational drone flights over the swamp or refuge lands
- Research use requires a Special Use Permit
- One of the largest intact freshwater ecosystems in the US; thousands of alligators and endangered red-cockaded woodpeckers are protected







### Source
- FWS Refuge Regulations: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/okefenokee

## Authorization Status
- Recreational: ❌ 100% Banned
- Commercial (Part 107): ❌ Not allowed without NPS Special Use Permit
- MBTA: ⚠️ Critical grassland bird migration corridor

## Geographic Boundaries
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is located in Chase County,
Kansas, in the Flint Hills region.
- Total area: ~10,894 acres
- Coordinates: 38.4342° N, 96.5586° W
- Includes Spring Hill Ranch (National Historic Landmark),
  Lower Fox Creek Schoolhouse, and bison herd grazing units
- Less than 4% of original 170 million acres of tallgrass
  prairie remains in North America
- Nearest city: Strong City, KS (~2 miles north)

## Regulations
- NPS Management Policies § 8.2.2 prohibits UAS in all NPS units
- 36 CFR § 1.5 — Superintendent's closure authority
- 36 CFR § 2.17(a)(3) — Prohibits air delivery/retrieval within park
- Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. § 703) — protects
  greater prairie chicken, dickcissel, upland sandpiper,
  and other grassland-dependent migratory species
- National Historic Preservation Act (54 U.S.C. § 300101) —
  Spring Hill Ranch National Historic Landmark
- FAA 14 CFR Part 107 governs commercial operations nationwide
- Airspace: Class G; no controlled airspace over preserve

## Penalties
- NPS fines up to $5,000 per violation
- MBTA fines up to $15,000 + 6 months per bird disturbance
- NHPA penalties for historic landmark disturbance
- FAA civil penalties up to $27,500 per violation per day
- Equipment confiscation by park rangers

## Special Permissions
- NPS Special Use Permit required
- Wildlife research requires USFWS MBTA coordination
- Historic research requires NHPA + SHPO review
Submit requests to: Tallgrass Prairie NP Superintendent,
2480B KS-177, Strong City, KS 66869

## Drone Rules - Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve




**Drone use is prohibited** in Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve.










### Key Rules
- No recreational drone flights within the preserve
- Commercial use requires a Special Use Permit
- Less than 4% of the original tallgrass prairie remains in North America; bison herds here are protected








### Source
- Tallgrass Prairie NPS Rules: https://www.nps.gov/tapr/planyourvisit/rules.htm

## Drone Rules - New River Gorge National Park

**Drone flights are banned** in New River Gorge National Park and Preserve.

### Key Rules
- No recreational drone use within the park boundary
- Commercial filming requires a Special Use Permit
- Rock climbers, whitewater rafters, and peregrine falcon nesting sites make drones especially disruptive

### Source
- New River Gorge NPS Rules: https://www.nps.gov/neri/planyourvisit/rules.htm

## Drone Rules - New River Gorge National Park

**Drones are not permitted** in New River Gorge National Park.

### Key Rules
- No recreational drone flights within the park
- Commercial filming requires a Special Use Permit
- Rock climbers on cliff faces and whitewater kayakers are endangered by overhead drone flight

### Source
- New River Gorge Rules: https://www.nps.gov/neri/planyourvisit/rules.htm

##
This action applies to the launching, landing, and operation of uncrewed aircraft on lands and waters administered by the NPS. Jurisdiction by the NPS ends at the park boundary. The policy memorandum does not modify any requirement imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the use or operation of uncrewed aircraft in the National Airspace System.









 
https://www.nps.gov/articles/uncrewed-aircraft-in-the-national-parks.htm

## Drone Rules - Hot Springs National Park

**Drone flights are banned** in Hot Springs National Park.

### Key Rules
- No recreational drone use within the park
- Commercial filming requires a Special Use Permit
- Historic Bathhouse Row and urban park setting make drone use especially disruptive

### Source
- Hot Springs NPS Rules: https://www.nps.gov/hosp/planyourvisit/rules.htm

## Drone Rules - Isle Royale National Park

**Drones are not permitted** in Isle Royale National Park.

### Key Rules
- No recreational drone flights on the island or surrounding park waters
- Commercial use requires a Special Use Permit
- The island's wolf-moose predator-prey system is one of the longest-running wildlife studies in the world

### Source
- Isle Royale NPS Rules: https://www.nps.gov/isro/planyourvisit/rules.htm

## Drone Rules - Isle Royale National Park

**Drone flights are not permitted** in Isle Royale National Park.

### Key Rules
- No recreational drone use anywhere on the island
- Commercial filming requires a Special Use Permit
- Wolf and moose population research makes aerial disturbance especially problematic

### Source
- Isle Royale Rules: https://www.nps.gov/isro/planyourvisit/rules.htm

## Drone Rules - Voyageurs National Park

**Drone use is prohibited** in Voyageurs National Park.

### Key Rules
- No recreational drone flights within the park
- Commercial use requires a Special Use Permit
- The interconnected lake system and wildlife corridors (wolves, loons, eagles) are protected

### Source
- Voyageurs NPS Rules: https://www.nps.gov/voya/planyourvisit/rules.htm

## Drone Rules - Voyageurs National Park

**Drone use is prohibited** in Voyageurs National Park.

### Key Rules
- No recreational drone flights over the park lakes or islands
- Commercial use requires a Special Use Permit
- Loon nesting and remote lake wilderness make drone enforcement a priority

### Source
- Voyageurs NPS Rules: https://www.nps.gov/voya/planyourvisit/rules.htm

## Drone Rules - Haleakala National Park

**Drones are not allowed** in Haleakala National Park.

### Key Rules
- No recreational drone flights within the park
- Commercial use requires a Special Use Permit from park administration
- Nene (Hawaiian goose) and silversword plants are among many endangered species protected here

### Source
- Haleakala NPS Rules: https://www.nps.gov/hale/planyourvisit/rules.htm

## Drone Rules - Haleakala National Park

**Drones are not permitted** in Haleakala National Park.

### Key Rules
- No recreational drone flights within the park
- Commercial use requires a Special Use Permit from park administration
- Endangered nene (Hawaiian goose) and Haleakala silversword require strict protection

### Source
- Haleakala Rules: https://www.nps.gov/hale/planyourvisit/rules.htm

##
This action applies to the launching, landing, and operation of uncrewed aircraft on lands and waters administered by the NPS. Jurisdiction by the NPS ends at the park boundary. The policy memorandum does not modify any requirement imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the use or operation of uncrewed aircraft in the National Airspace System.










 
https://www.nps.gov/articles/uncrewed-aircraft-in-the-national-parks.htm

## Drone Rules - Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

**Drone flights are banned** in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

### Key Rules
- No recreational drone use anywhere in the park
- Commercial filming requires a Special Use Permit
- Active lava flows create unpredictable thermal columns hazardous to drone flight
- Sacred Hawaiian cultural sites require additional respect

### Source
- HAVO Rules: https://www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/rules.htm

##
This action applies to the launching, landing, and operation of uncrewed aircraft on lands and waters administered by the NPS. Jurisdiction by the NPS ends at the park boundary. The policy memorandum does not modify any requirement imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the use or operation of uncrewed aircraft in the National Airspace System.









 
https://www.nps.gov/articles/uncrewed-aircraft-in-the-national-parks.htm

## Drone Rules - Denali National Park

**Drone use is strictly prohibited** throughout Denali National Park and Preserve.

### Key Rules
- No recreational drone flights anywhere in the park
- Commercial filming requires a Special Use Permit from park administration
- Grizzly bears, wolves, and Dall sheep are highly sensitive to aerial disturbance

### Source
- Denali NPS Rules: https://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/rules.htm

## Drone Rules - Kobuk Valley National Park

**Drone use is prohibited** in Kobuk Valley National Park.

### Key Rules
- No recreational drone flights within the park
- Commercial use requires a Special Use Permit from the NPS
- The Great Kobuk Sand Dunes (the largest active sand dunes in the Arctic) and Western Arctic caribou herd migration routes are protected

### Source
- Kobuk Valley NPS Rules: https://www.nps.gov/kova/planyourvisit/rules.htm

## Drone Rules - Kobuk Valley National Park

**Drone flights are banned** in Kobuk Valley National Park.

### Key Rules
- No recreational drone use within the park
- Commercial filming requires a Special Use Permit from NPS
- Western Arctic caribou herd migration and Great Kobuk Sand Dunes require protection

### Source
- NPS UAS Policy: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/sound/uas.htm

## Drone Rules - Kenai Fjords National Park

**Drone use is prohibited** in Kenai Fjords National Park.

### Key Rules
- No recreational drone flights within the park
- Commercial use requires a Special Use Permit
- Tidewater glaciers, Steller sea lions, orcas, and nesting seabirds are protected

### Source
- Kenai Fjords NPS Rules: https://www.nps.gov/kefj/planyourvisit/rules.htm

## Drone Rules - Kenai Fjords National Park

**Drones are not permitted** in Kenai Fjords National Park.

### Key Rules
- No recreational drone flights within the park
- Commercial use requires a Special Use Permit
- Humpback whales, Steller sea lions, and puffin colonies require strict aerial protection

### Source
- NPS UAS Policy: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/sound/uas.htm

##
This action applies to the launching, landing, and operation of uncrewed aircraft on lands and waters administered by the NPS. Jurisdiction by the NPS ends at the park boundary. The policy memorandum does not modify any requirement imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the use or operation of uncrewed aircraft in the National Airspace System.









 
https://www.nps.gov/articles/uncrewed-aircraft-in-the-national-parks.htm

## Drone Rules - Crater Lake National Park

**Drone use is prohibited** in Crater Lake National Park.

### Key Rules
- No recreational drone flights within the park
- Commercial use requires a Special Use Permit from park admin
- The pristine caldera lake environment and wilderness make enforcement a priority

### Source
- Crater Lake Rules: https://www.nps.gov/crla/planyourvisit/rules.htm

##
This action applies to the launching, landing, and operation of uncrewed aircraft on lands and waters administered by the NPS. Jurisdiction by the NPS ends at the park boundary. The policy memorandum does not modify any requirement imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the use or operation of uncrewed aircraft in the National Airspace System.









 
https://www.nps.gov/articles/uncrewed-aircraft-in-the-national-parks.htm

## Drone Rules - Mount Rainier National Park

**Drone use is prohibited** in Mount Rainier National Park.

### Key Rules
- No recreational drone flights within park boundaries
- Commercial use requires a Special Use Permit from park administration
- Glaciated terrain and wilderness designation make enforcement strict

### Source
- Mount Rainier Regulations: https://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/rules.htm

##
This action applies to the launching, landing, and operation of uncrewed aircraft on lands and waters administered by the NPS. Jurisdiction by the NPS ends at the park boundary. The policy memorandum does not modify any requirement imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the use or operation of uncrewed aircraft in the National Airspace System.









 
https://www.nps.gov/articles/uncrewed-aircraft-in-the-national-parks.htm

## Drone Rules - Lassen Volcanic National Park

**Drones are not allowed** in Lassen Volcanic National Park.

### Key Rules
- No recreational drone flights within the park
- Commercial filming requires a Special Use Permit
- Active hydrothermal features and wilderness areas require strict protection

### Source
- Lassen NPS Rules: https://www.nps.gov/lavo/planyourvisit/rules.htm

##
This action applies to the launching, landing, and operation of uncrewed aircraft on lands and waters administered by the NPS. Jurisdiction by the NPS ends at the park boundary. The policy memorandum does not modify any requirement imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the use or operation of uncrewed aircraft in the National Airspace System.









 
https://www.nps.gov/articles/uncrewed-aircraft-in-the-national-parks.htm

## Drone Rules - Redwood National and State Parks

**Drone use is prohibited** throughout Redwood National and State Parks.

### Key Rules
- No recreational drone flights within national park portions
- Commercial use requires a Special Use Permit from NPS
- Marbled murrelet nesting in old-growth canopy is highly sensitive to aerial disturbance

### Source
- Redwood NPS Rules: https://www.nps.gov/redw/planyourvisit/rules.htm

##
This action applies to the launching, landing, and operation of uncrewed aircraft on lands and waters administered by the NPS. Jurisdiction by the NPS ends at the park boundary. The policy memorandum does not modify any requirement imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the use or operation of uncrewed aircraft in the National Airspace System.









 
https://www.nps.gov/articles/uncrewed-aircraft-in-the-national-parks.htm

## Drone Rules - Channel Islands National Park

**Drone flights are not permitted** in Channel Islands National Park.

### Key Rules
- No recreational drone use over any of the five islands
- Commercial use requires a Special Use Permit
- Threatened island fox and Xantus's murrelet nesting require strict aerial protection

### Source
- Channel Islands Rules: https://www.nps.gov/chis/planyourvisit/rules.htm

##
This action applies to the launching, landing, and operation of uncrewed aircraft on lands and waters administered by the NPS. Jurisdiction by the NPS ends at the park boundary. The policy memorandum does not modify any requirement imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the use or operation of uncrewed aircraft in the National Airspace System.









 
https://www.nps.gov/articles/uncrewed-aircraft-in-the-national-parks.htm

## Drone Rules - Pinnacles National Park

**Drone use is strictly prohibited** in Pinnacles National Park.

### Key Rules
- No recreational drone flights anywhere in the park
- Commercial filming requires a Special Use Permit
- California condor nesting in the pinnacles formations demands zero aerial disturbance

### Source
- Pinnacles Rules: https://www.nps.gov/pinn/planyourvisit/rules.htm

##
This action applies to the launching, landing, and operation of uncrewed aircraft on lands and waters administered by the NPS. Jurisdiction by the NPS ends at the park boundary. The policy memorandum does not modify any requirement imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the use or operation of uncrewed aircraft in the National Airspace System.









 
https://www.nps.gov/articles/uncrewed-aircraft-in-the-national-parks.htm

## Drone Rules - Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

**Drone flights are banned** at Black Canyon of the Gunnison.

### Key Rules
- No recreational drone use within the park
- Commercial filming requires a Special Use Permit
- Peregrine falcon nesting on canyon walls requires strict aerial buffer

### Source
- NPS UAS Policy: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/sound/uas.htm