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Drone Rules for Tohono O'odham Nation Reservation

Pima County, Arizona (AZ) • Estados Unidos
Tohono O'odham Nation Reservation, Papago, AZ, EUA
Lat: 31.9887 • Lng: -112.048

Rules Edit History: Tohono O'odham Nation Reservation

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May 28, 2026 11:43 PM Approved • Added a complete drone restriction profile for Tohono O'odham Nation based on tribal sovereignty as primary jurisdiction, AIRFA Baboquivari Peak absolute sacred site designation, DHS/CBP 75-mile US-Mexico border operational authority, ESA Sonoran pronghorn recovery zone, ARPA Hohokam and O'odham cultural site protections, NAGPRA, FAA Tucson Class C San Xavier District advisory, and FAA 14 CFR Part 107 — the largest contiguous tribal drone restriction zone in Arizona.
Author: e8be7a99-29f2-421e-95ec-190919c58f9b (1091)
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Sources
  • https://www.fws.gov/media/unmanned-aircraft-systems-uas-policy — Tohono O'odham Nation tribal sovereignty as primary jurisdiction, AIRFA Baboquivari Peak absolute sacred site protection (42 U.S.C. § 1996), DHS/CBP 75-mile border operational authority (6 U.S.C. § 211), ESA Sonoran pronghorn recovery zone take prohibition (16 U.S.C. § 1531), ARPA Hohokam cultural site protections, NAGPRA ancestral remains, and FAA Tucson Class C at San Xavier District ban all unauthorized drone operations, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
  • https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/part-107 — Tohono O'odham Nation tribal sovereignty as primary jurisdiction, AIRFA Baboquivari Peak absolute sacred site protection (42 U.S.C. § 1996), DHS/CBP 75-mile border operational authority (6 U.S.C. § 211), ESA Sonoran pronghorn recovery zone take prohibition (16 U.S.C. § 1531), ARPA Hohokam cultural site protections, NAGPRA ancestral remains, and FAA Tucson Class C at San Xavier District ban all unauthorized drone operations, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
  • https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1510/arpa.htm — Tohono O'odham Nation tribal sovereignty as primary jurisdiction, AIRFA Baboquivari Peak absolute sacred site protection (42 U.S.C. § 1996), DHS/CBP 75-mile border operational authority (6 U.S.C. § 211), ESA Sonoran pronghorn recovery zone take prohibition (16 U.S.C. § 1531), ARPA Hohokam cultural site protections, NAGPRA ancestral remains, and FAA Tucson Class C at San Xavier District ban all unauthorized drone operations, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
  • https://faa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=9c2e4406710048e19806ebf6a06754ad — Tohono O'odham Nation tribal sovereignty as primary jurisdiction, AIRFA Baboquivari Peak absolute sacred site protection (42 U.S.C. § 1996), DHS/CBP 75-mile border operational authority (6 U.S.C. § 211), ESA Sonoran pronghorn recovery zone take prohibition (16 U.S.C. § 1531), ARPA Hohokam cultural site protections, NAGPRA ancestral remains, and FAA Tucson Class C at San Xavier District ban all unauthorized drone operations, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
  • https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr2/list.jsp — Tohono O'odham Nation tribal sovereignty as primary jurisdiction, AIRFA Baboquivari Peak absolute sacred site protection (42 U.S.C. § 1996), DHS/CBP 75-mile border operational authority (6 U.S.C. § 211), ESA Sonoran pronghorn recovery zone take prohibition (16 U.S.C. § 1531), ARPA Hohokam cultural site protections, NAGPRA ancestral remains, and FAA Tucson Class C at San Xavier District ban all unauthorized drone operations, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
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Field Before After
Flight status Unknown NoFly
Summary — Drone operations over Tohono O'odham Nation lands are strictly prohibited under Tohono O'odham tribal law and sovereign authority. No recreational or commercial drone flights are permitted without explicit written authorization from the Tohono O'odham Nation Cultural Affiliation and Historic Preservation Department.
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After
## Authorization Status
- Recreational: ❌ Absolutely prohibited — tribal sovereignty primary
- Commercial (Part 107): ❌ Tohono O'odham Nation authorization
  required; FAA Part 107 does not confer rights over tribal airspace
- Border Layer: ⚠️ CRITICAL — 75 miles US-Mexico border; CBP active
  drone surveillance; unauthorized UAS in border zone triggers
  federal security response under DHS authority
- Sacred Site Layer: ⚠️ Baboquivari Peak — most sacred site in
  Tohono O'odham cosmology; absolute no-fly zone
- ESA Layer: ⚠️ Sonoran pronghorn critical habitat throughout
  western reservation

## Geographic Boundaries
Tohono O'odham Nation occupies lands in Pima, Pinal, and Maricopa
Counties, Arizona, administered by the Tohono O'odham Nation.
The nation consists of four non-contiguous districts:
- Main Reservation: ~2,773,000 acres (~4,333 square miles)
  Coordinates: 32.0000° N, 112.0000° W
- San Xavier District: ~71,095 acres (south of Tucson)
- Gila Bend District (Sif Oidak): ~10,282 acres
- Florence Village: ~35 acres
- Total area: ~2,854,412 acres — second largest reservation in U.S.
- Nearest city: Tucson, AZ (~60 miles northeast of main reservation);
  Ajo, AZ (~30 miles northwest)
- Terrain: Sonoran Desert bajadas; Baboquivari Mountains;
  Baboquivari Peak (7,734 ft MSL — most sacred site in Tohono
  O'odham cosmology; home of I'itoi, the Creator);
  Altar Valley; Sells (tribal capital)
- 75-mile US-Mexico international border (southern boundary) —
  longest tribal-international border in the United States
- Organ Pipe Cactus NM and Cabeza Prieta NWR on northern/western
  boundary
- Sonoran pronghorn (Antilocapra americana sonoriensis) — federally
  endangered; active recovery population on western reservation
- Tucson Class C airspace (TUS) overlaps San Xavier District
- Davis-Monthan AFB restricted airspace proximity near San Xavier
- Airspace: Class E above 700 ft AGL; surface Class G main
  reservation; Class C (TUS) at San Xavier District

## Regulations
- Tohono O'odham Nation Tribal Code — sovereign authority over
  all tribal lands and airspace; tribal law prohibits all
  unauthorized drone operations
- Federal Indian Law (25 U.S.C. § 177) — tribal sovereignty doctrine
- American Indian Religious Freedom Act (42 U.S.C. § 1996) —
  Baboquivari Peak is the most sacred site in Tohono O'odham
  cosmology; drone overflight = direct AIRFA violation; tribal
  law designates Baboquivari as absolute no-fly zone
- 6 U.S.C. § 211 — DHS/CBP operational authority in 75-mile
  border corridor; unauthorized UAS = federal security incident
- 19 U.S.C. § 1401 et seq. — customs laws; unauthorized drone
  operations near border crossing = federal customs violation
- Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. § 1531) Section 9 — Sonoran
  pronghorn federally endangered; western reservation = active
  recovery zone; drone disturbance = ESA take violation
- Archaeological Resources Protection Act (16 U.S.C. § 470aa) —
  extensive Hohokam and O'odham cultural sites throughout nation
- Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act
  (25 U.S.C. § 3001) — ancestral burial sites throughout nation
- FAA 14 CFR Part 107.41 — Tucson Class C authorization required
  for San Xavier District operations
- FAA 14 CFR Part 107 governs commercial operations nationwide

## Penalties
- Tohono O'odham tribal court: equipment confiscation; fines;
  criminal charges; permanent reservation ban
- AIRFA Baboquivari Peak violations: federal civil penalties;
  DOJ referral possible for egregious violations
- CBP border zone: federal criminal charges; DHS detention
  and investigation; potential prosecution under
  49 U.S.C. § 46307
- ESA Section 9 (Sonoran pronghorn): civil penalties up to
  $25,000; criminal penalties up to $50,000 + 1 year imprisonment
- ARPA violations: fines up to $20,000 + 2 years imprisonment
- NAGPRA violations: federal criminal prosecution
- FAA Class C violation (San Xavier): civil penalties up to
  $27,500/day + certificate action
- FAA civil penalties up to $27,500 per violation per day

## Special Permissions
- Tohono O'odham Cultural Affiliation and Historic Preservation
  Department is the primary authorization pathway
- Baboquivari Peak: NO permit pathway under any circumstances;
  absolute tribal sacred site prohibition
- Border zone: CBP Tucson Sector coordination mandatory before
  any permit for southern reservation operations
- San Xavier District: FAA LAANC authorization required in
  addition to tribal permit (Tucson Class C)
- ESA Section 7 biological assessment required for western
  reservation Sonoran pronghorn recovery zone
Submit requests to: Tohono O'odham Nation Cultural Affiliation
and Historic Preservation Department,
PO Box 837, Sells, AZ 85634
CBP Tucson Sector: 2430 S Swan Road, Tucson, AZ 85711
Show inline change markers 
+ ## Authorization Status
+ - Recreational: ❌ Absolutely prohibited — tribal sovereignty primary
+ - Commercial (Part 107): ❌ Tohono O'odham Nation authorization
+   required; FAA Part 107 does not confer rights over tribal airspace
+ - Border Layer: ⚠️ CRITICAL — 75 miles US-Mexico border; CBP active
+   drone surveillance; unauthorized UAS in border zone triggers
+   federal security response under DHS authority
+ - Sacred Site Layer: ⚠️ Baboquivari Peak — most sacred site in
+   Tohono O'odham cosmology; absolute no-fly zone
+ - ESA Layer: ⚠️ Sonoran pronghorn critical habitat throughout
+   western reservation
+ 
+ ## Geographic Boundaries
+ Tohono O'odham Nation occupies lands in Pima, Pinal, and Maricopa
+ Counties, Arizona, administered by the Tohono O'odham Nation.
+ The nation consists of four non-contiguous districts:
+ - Main Reservation: ~2,773,000 acres (~4,333 square miles)
+   Coordinates: 32.0000° N, 112.0000° W
+ - San Xavier District: ~71,095 acres (south of Tucson)
+ - Gila Bend District (Sif Oidak): ~10,282 acres
+ - Florence Village: ~35 acres
+ - Total area: ~2,854,412 acres — second largest reservation in U.S.
+ - Nearest city: Tucson, AZ (~60 miles northeast of main reservation);
+   Ajo, AZ (~30 miles northwest)
+ - Terrain: Sonoran Desert bajadas; Baboquivari Mountains;
+   Baboquivari Peak (7,734 ft MSL — most sacred site in Tohono
+   O'odham cosmology; home of I'itoi, the Creator);
+   Altar Valley; Sells (tribal capital)
+ - 75-mile US-Mexico international border (southern boundary) —
+   longest tribal-international border in the United States
+ - Organ Pipe Cactus NM and Cabeza Prieta NWR on northern/western
+   boundary
+ - Sonoran pronghorn (Antilocapra americana sonoriensis) — federally
+   endangered; active recovery population on western reservation
+ - Tucson Class C airspace (TUS) overlaps San Xavier District
+ - Davis-Monthan AFB restricted airspace proximity near San Xavier
+ - Airspace: Class E above 700 ft AGL; surface Class G main
+   reservation; Class C (TUS) at San Xavier District
+ 
+ ## Regulations
+ - Tohono O'odham Nation Tribal Code — sovereign authority over
+   all tribal lands and airspace; tribal law prohibits all
+   unauthorized drone operations
+ - Federal Indian Law (25 U.S.C. § 177) — tribal sovereignty doctrine
+ - American Indian Religious Freedom Act (42 U.S.C. § 1996) —
+   Baboquivari Peak is the most sacred site in Tohono O'odham
+   cosmology; drone overflight = direct AIRFA violation; tribal
+   law designates Baboquivari as absolute no-fly zone
+ - 6 U.S.C. § 211 — DHS/CBP operational authority in 75-mile
+   border corridor; unauthorized UAS = federal security incident
+ - 19 U.S.C. § 1401 et seq. — customs laws; unauthorized drone
+   operations near border crossing = federal customs violation
+ - Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. § 1531) Section 9 — Sonoran
+   pronghorn federally endangered; western reservation = active
+   recovery zone; drone disturbance = ESA take violation
+ - Archaeological Resources Protection Act (16 U.S.C. § 470aa) —
+   extensive Hohokam and O'odham cultural sites throughout nation
+ - Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act
+   (25 U.S.C. § 3001) — ancestral burial sites throughout nation
+ - FAA 14 CFR Part 107.41 — Tucson Class C authorization required
+   for San Xavier District operations
+ - FAA 14 CFR Part 107 governs commercial operations nationwide
+ 
+ ## Penalties
+ - Tohono O'odham tribal court: equipment confiscation; fines;
+   criminal charges; permanent reservation ban
+ - AIRFA Baboquivari Peak violations: federal civil penalties;
+   DOJ referral possible for egregious violations
+ - CBP border zone: federal criminal charges; DHS detention
+   and investigation; potential prosecution under
+   49 U.S.C. § 46307
+ - ESA Section 9 (Sonoran pronghorn): civil penalties up to
+   $25,000; criminal penalties up to $50,000 + 1 year imprisonment
+ - ARPA violations: fines up to $20,000 + 2 years imprisonment
+ - NAGPRA violations: federal criminal prosecution
+ - FAA Class C violation (San Xavier): civil penalties up to
+   $27,500/day + certificate action
+ - FAA civil penalties up to $27,500 per violation per day
+ 
+ ## Special Permissions
+ - Tohono O'odham Cultural Affiliation and Historic Preservation
+   Department is the primary authorization pathway
+ - Baboquivari Peak: NO permit pathway under any circumstances;
+   absolute tribal sacred site prohibition
+ - Border zone: CBP Tucson Sector coordination mandatory before
+   any permit for southern reservation operations
+ - San Xavier District: FAA LAANC authorization required in
+   addition to tribal permit (Tucson Class C)
+ - ESA Section 7 biological assessment required for western
+   reservation Sonoran pronghorn recovery zone
+ Submit requests to: Tohono O'odham Nation Cultural Affiliation
+ and Historic Preservation Department,
+ PO Box 837, Sells, AZ 85634
+ CBP Tucson Sector: 2430 S Swan Road, Tucson, AZ 85711