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Drone Rules for Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge Administration Office and Visitor Center

Ajo, Arizona (AZ) • Estados Unidos
1611 N 2nd Ave, Ajo, AZ 85321, EUA
Lat: 32.3865 • Lng: -112.873
Ground Not allowed Last updated: May 28, 2026
Summary
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Drone operations are strictly prohibited at Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge under U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service regulations, controlled by USFWS. No recreational or commercial flights are permitted without an explicit Special Use Permit from the refuge manager AND written authorization from Luke Air Force Base /

Authorization Status

  • Recreational: ❌ Absolutely prohibited — military range overlay makes unauthorized entry a federal criminal matter independent of USFWS regulations
  • Commercial (Part 107): ❌ Requires USFWS Special Use Permit AND Luke AFB/BMGR written authorization — both mandatory; neither alone is sufficient
  • Military Layer: ⚠️ CRITICAL — entire refuge overlaps Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range (R-2301 series); active military training airspace; unauthorized UAS = federal criminal violation
  • Border Layer: ⚠️ 56 miles US-Mexico border; CBP active operations; federal security response to unauthorized UAS
  • ESA Layer: ⚠️ Sonoran pronghorn primary recovery population — ESA Section 9 maximum enforcement priority

Geographic Boundaries

Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge is located in Pima and Yuma Counties, Arizona, administered by USFWS.

  • Total area: ~860,010 acres (~1,344 square miles) — third largest NWR in the contiguous United States
  • Coordinates: 32.2500° N, 113.2000° W
  • Nearest city: Ajo, AZ (~35 miles northeast); Yuma, AZ (~50 miles northwest)
  • Terrain: Sonoran Desert; Cabeza Prieta Mountains; Tule Desert; Growler Valley; lava flows; volcanic peaks; sand dunes; dry lake beds (tinajas — natural water catchments)
  • Entire refuge overlaps Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range (R-2301A/B/C/D/E) — largest military overland training range in the United States (~1.7 million acres total BMGR)
  • 56-mile international border with Sonora, Mexico
  • Sonoran pronghorn (Antilocapra americana sonoriensis) — federally endangered; ~100–160 individuals; Cabeza Prieta = primary U.S. recovery population; USFWS Sonoran Pronghorn Recovery Program headquartered at refuge
  • Organ Pipe Cactus NM on eastern boundary
  • Tohono O'odham Nation on northeastern boundary
  • Airspace: R-2301 military restricted (most of refuge); Class G at surface; complex overlapping restricted areas

Regulations

  • 50 CFR § 27.34 — Prohibits use of aircraft and drones within National Wildlife Refuges
  • USFWS UAS Policy — blanket prohibition within refuge
  • 14 CFR § 73.3 — Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range restricted airspace R-2301 series; entire refuge under military airspace; unauthorized entry = federal criminal violation regardless of USFWS permit status
  • DoD/Luke AFB operational authority — BMGR is an active military training range; live ordnance may be present; unauthorized UAS presents safety hazard to military aircraft
  • 6 U.S.C. § 211 — DHS/CBP 56-mile border operational authority; unauthorized UAS = federal security incident
  • Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. § 1531) Section 9 — Sonoran pronghorn primary U.S. recovery population; drone harassment of pronghorn = take; USFWS Recovery Program actively monitors for violations
  • ESA Section 9 — lesser long-nosed bat (MBTA/ESA overlap); cactus ferruginous pygmy-owl documented in refuge
  • Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. § 703) — Sonoran Desert avifauna; elf owl; Gila woodpecker; Lucy's warbler
  • Archaeological Resources Protection Act (16 U.S.C. § 470aa) — O'odham and prehistoric cultural sites throughout refuge; ancient tinaja water source sites
  • Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. § 1131) — ~803,418 acres designated wilderness — one of largest wilderness areas in lower 48 states
  • FAA 14 CFR Part 107 governs commercial operations nationwide

Penalties

  • USFWS fines up to $5,000 per violation under 50 CFR § 27.34
  • R-2301 military restricted airspace violation: federal criminal charges under 49 U.S.C. § 46307; potential DoD security enforcement; no civilian exemptions; live ordnance risk
  • CBP border zone interference: federal criminal charges; DHS detention and investigation
  • ESA Section 9 (Sonoran pronghorn): civil penalties up to $25,000; criminal penalties up to $50,000 + 1 year imprisonment; USFWS Recovery Program considers pronghorn disturbance among highest ESA enforcement priorities in Arizona
  • Wilderness Act violations: fines up to $5,000 + 6 months
  • ARPA violations: fines up to $20,000 + 2 years imprisonment
  • MBTA violations: fines up to $15,000 + 6 months imprisonment
  • FAA civil penalties up to $27,500 per violation per day
  • Criminal prosecution under 18 U.S.C. § 32 for willful violations
  • Equipment confiscation by USFWS officers or military police

Special Permissions

  • USFWS Special Use Permit required; Luke AFB/BMGR written authorization mandatory — BMGR authorization takes precedence and cannot be waived by USFWS
  • Contact BMGR Range Management Office before any permit application; military training schedules determine available windows for any authorized operations
  • ESA Section 7 biological assessment mandatory for Sonoran pronghorn recovery zone — most stringent ESA review of any NWR permit in Arizona
  • CBP Yuma Sector coordination required for all border-zone operations (southern refuge)
  • Wilderness compliance plan required (~803,418 acres)
  • Refuge entry itself requires separate permit from USFWS (even for ground access) Submit requests to: Cabeza Prieta NWR Refuge Manager, 1611 N 2nd Avenue, Ajo, AZ 85321 Luke AFB/BMGR Range Management: 56th Fighter Wing, 14185 W Falcon Street, Luke AFB, AZ 85309 CBP Yuma Sector: 4035 S Avenue 5E, Yuma, AZ 85365
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Rule sources
  • https://www.fws.gov/media/unmanned-aircraft-systems-uas-policy — USFWS regulations under 50 CFR § 27.34, FAA R-2301 Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range military restricted airspace (14 CFR § 73.3), DHS/CBP 56-mile border operational authority (6 U.S.C. § 211), ESA Sonoran pronghorn primary U.S. recovery population take prohibition (16 U.S.C. § 1531), Wilderness Act ~803,418-acre designation, and ARPA O'odham cultural site protections create the most legally complex NWR drone restriction environment in the United States, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
  • https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/part-107 — USFWS regulations under 50 CFR § 27.34, FAA R-2301 Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range military restricted airspace (14 CFR § 73.3), DHS/CBP 56-mile border operational authority (6 U.S.C. § 211), ESA Sonoran pronghorn primary U.S. recovery population take prohibition (16 U.S.C. § 1531), Wilderness Act ~803,418-acre designation, and ARPA O'odham cultural site protections create the most legally complex NWR drone restriction environment in the United States, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
  • https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/chapter-I/subchapter-E/part-73 — USFWS regulations under 50 CFR § 27.34, FAA R-2301 Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range military restricted airspace (14 CFR § 73.3), DHS/CBP 56-mile border operational authority (6 U.S.C. § 211), ESA Sonoran pronghorn primary U.S. recovery population take prohibition (16 U.S.C. § 1531), Wilderness Act ~803,418-acre designation, and ARPA O'odham cultural site protections create the most legally complex NWR drone restriction environment in the United States, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
  • https://faa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=9c2e4406710048e19806ebf6a06754ad — USFWS regulations under 50 CFR § 27.34, FAA R-2301 Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range military restricted airspace (14 CFR § 73.3), DHS/CBP 56-mile border operational authority (6 U.S.C. § 211), ESA Sonoran pronghorn primary U.S. recovery population take prohibition (16 U.S.C. § 1531), Wilderness Act ~803,418-acre designation, and ARPA O'odham cultural site protections create the most legally complex NWR drone restriction environment in the United States, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
  • https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr2/list.jsp — USFWS regulations under 50 CFR § 27.34, FAA R-2301 Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range military restricted airspace (14 CFR § 73.3), DHS/CBP 56-mile border operational authority (6 U.S.C. § 211), ESA Sonoran pronghorn primary U.S. recovery population take prohibition (16 U.S.C. § 1531), Wilderness Act ~803,418-acre designation, and ARPA O'odham cultural site protections create the most legally complex NWR drone restriction environment in the United States, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
  • https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-50/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-27/section-27.34 — USFWS regulations under 50 CFR § 27.34, FAA R-2301 Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range military restricted airspace (14 CFR § 73.3), DHS/CBP 56-mile border operational authority (6 U.S.C. § 211), ESA Sonoran pronghorn primary U.S. recovery population take prohibition (16 U.S.C. § 1531), Wilderness Act ~803,418-acre designation, and ARPA O'odham cultural site protections create the most legally complex NWR drone restriction environment in the United States, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
Parent Rule Pages