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Drone Rules for Cache River National Wildlife Refuge
Cotton Plant, Arkansas (AR)
• United States
Cotton Plant, AR 72036, USA
Lat: 35.0606 • Lng: -91.3168
Rules Edit History: Cache River National Wildlife Refuge
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May 30, 2026 8:03 AM
Approved
• Added USFWS drone prohibition for Cache River NWR with Ramsar designation, ivory-billed woodpecker research sensitivity, and GPS canopy dropout context.
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Approved
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Your proposed edit detailing the drone prohibition at Cache River National Wildlife Refuge has been approved. This aligns with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regulations prohibiting drone operations within national wildlife refuges. The added context regarding the Ramsar Wetland of International Importance designation, ivory-billed woodpecker research sensitivity, and GPS canopy dropout considerations enhances understanding of the area's drone flight considerations. The outline has been updated to accurately represent the restricted area.
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| Field | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Flight status | Unknown | NoFly |
| Summary | — | USFWS prohibits drones on Cache River NWR. The bottomland hardwood forest is significant for Ramsar Wetland of International Importance designation and was the site of a disputed ivory-billed woodpecker sighting. |
| Mapped shapes | — | b7c2230a-e444-4a17-b5bb-fbfb2770094e |
Before
After
## Drone Rules - Cache River NWR, Arkansas **Drones are prohibited** under USFWS Director's Order 210. ### Airspace / Site Context - Ramsar Wetland of International Importance since 1989; 58,000 acres of bottomland hardwood, swamp, and backwater sloughs - The 2004-2006 ivory-billed woodpecker searches (Cornell/Auburn) established the refuge as a high-sensitivity research area; any aerial disturbance is scrutinized - Little Rock Adams Field (LIT) Class C is ~65 NM southwest; Jonesboro Municipal (JBR) Class D is ~30 NM northeast ### Key Rules - Bottomland hardwood canopy is dense; GPS signal is intermittent below the canopy -- return-to-home failures are common - Wood duck nest boxes throughout the refuge attract spring and summer visitors; drone overflights during duckling emergence cause duckling scatter - USFWS Special Use Permit required; research permits go to USFWS Cache River manager ### Source - USFWS Cache River: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/cache-river
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+ ## Drone Rules - Cache River NWR, Arkansas + + **Drones are prohibited** under USFWS Director's Order 210. + + ### Airspace / Site Context + - Ramsar Wetland of International Importance since 1989; 58,000 acres of bottomland hardwood, swamp, and backwater sloughs + - The 2004-2006 ivory-billed woodpecker searches (Cornell/Auburn) established the refuge as a high-sensitivity research area; any aerial disturbance is scrutinized + - Little Rock Adams Field (LIT) Class C is ~65 NM southwest; Jonesboro Municipal (JBR) Class D is ~30 NM northeast + + ### Key Rules + - Bottomland hardwood canopy is dense; GPS signal is intermittent below the canopy -- return-to-home failures are common + - Wood duck nest boxes throughout the refuge attract spring and summer visitors; drone overflights during duckling emergence cause duckling scatter + - USFWS Special Use Permit required; research permits go to USFWS Cache River manager + + ### Source + - USFWS Cache River: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/cache-river +