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Drone Rules for Vermilion Cliffs National Monument - Wayside

Name: Vermilion Cliffs National Monument - Wayside
Address: PXH6+MC, Marble Canyon, AZ 86036, USA, One Mile, az, us

One Mile, Arizona (az) • United States

PXH6+MC, Marble Canyon, AZ 86036, USA

Lat: 36.7291 • Lng: -112.039

Air Not allowed Last updated: May 27, 2026

Summary

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Drone operations are strictly prohibited at Vermilion Cliffs National Monument under BLM regulations, controlled by the Bureau of Land Management. No recreational or commercial flights are permitted without an explicit BLM Special Recreation Permit. The monument's California Condor reintroduction zone creates critical

Authorization Status

Recreational: ❌ 100% Banned
Commercial (Part 107): ❌ Not allowed without BLM Special Recreation Permit
Condor Zone: ⚠️ ESA + MBTA heightened enforcement year-round

Geographic Boundaries

Vermilion Cliffs National Monument is located in Coconino and Mohave Counties, Arizona, on the Utah-Arizona border.

Total area: ~293,689 acres
Coordinates: 36.7908° N, 111.8958° W
Includes The Wave (Coyote Buttes North), Paria Canyon, Buckskin Gulch slot canyon, and White Pocket
Active California Condor release and nesting site
Nearest city: Page, AZ (~30 miles east); Kanab, UT (~10 miles north)

Regulations

BLM Arizona Strip Field Office UAS Policy prohibits recreational UAS
43 CFR § 8372.0-7 — BLM motorized equipment regulations
Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. § 703) — protects California Condors and all migratory species from disturbance
Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. § 1531) — California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus) listed as endangered; UAS disturbance constitutes "harassment" under ESA Section 9
Presidential Proclamation 7374 (2000) — monument establishment
FAA 14 CFR Part 107 governs commercial operations nationwide
Airspace: Class E above 700 ft AGL; surface Class G within monument

Penalties

BLM fines up to $1,000 per violation under 43 CFR § 8360.0-7
MBTA fines up to $15,000 + 6 months imprisonment per disturbance
ESA Section 9 "take" violation: civil fines up to $25,000 + criminal penalties up to $50,000 + 1 year imprisonment
FAA civil penalties up to $27,500 per violation per day
Equipment confiscation by BLM rangers

Special Permissions

BLM Special Recreation Permit required
USFWS ESA Section 10 Incidental Take Permit for condor-zone research
MBTA Scientific Collecting Permit for wildlife disturbance-adjacent work
The Wave permits issued by lottery only (separate BLM permit system) Submit requests to: BLM Arizona Strip Field Office, 345 East Riverside Drive, St. George, UT 84790

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Rule sources

https://www.fws.gov/media/unmanned-aircraft-systems-uas-policy — BLM regulations under 43 CFR § 8360.0-7, Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. § 703), Endangered Species Act Section 9 California Condor protections (16 U.S.C. § 1531), and FAA 14 CFR Part 107 ban all unauthorized drone operations within monument boundaries.
https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/part-107 — BLM regulations under 43 CFR § 8360.0-7, Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. § 703), Endangered Species Act Section 9 California Condor protections (16 U.S.C. § 1531), and FAA 14 CFR Part 107 ban all unauthorized drone operations within monument boundaries.
https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-50/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-17 — BLM regulations under 43 CFR § 8360.0-7, Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. § 703), Endangered Species Act Section 9 California Condor protections (16 U.S.C. § 1531), and FAA 14 CFR Part 107 ban all unauthorized drone operations within monument boundaries.
https://faa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=9c2e4406710048e19806ebf6a06754ad — BLM regulations under 43 CFR § 8360.0-7, Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. § 703), Endangered Species Act Section 9 California Condor protections (16 U.S.C. § 1531), and FAA 14 CFR Part 107 ban all unauthorized drone operations within monument boundaries.
https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-43/chapter-II/part-8360 — BLM regulations under 43 CFR § 8360.0-7, Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. § 703), Endangered Species Act Section 9 California Condor protections (16 U.S.C. § 1531), and FAA 14 CFR Part 107 ban all unauthorized drone operations within monument boundaries.

Parent Rule Pages

United States
Arizona
one-mile
Vermilion Cliffs National Monument - Wayside