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Drone Rules for Mendocino National Forest
Lake County, California (CA)
• United States
Mendocino National Forest, California, USA
Lat: 39.5624 • Lng: -122.814
Rules Edit History: Mendocino National Forest
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May 30, 2026 6:22 AM
Approved
• Added USFS drone advisory for Mendocino NF with fire-prone TFR risk, Yolla Bolly Wilderness, and offline LAANC map requirement context.
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Approved
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Your proposed edit detailing drone regulations in Mendocino National Forest, including fire-prone TFR risks, Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness, and offline LAANC map requirements, has been approved. This aligns with the U.S. Forest Service's guidelines that prohibit drone operations in designated Wilderness Areas and during active fire TFRs. The added context about fire-prone areas and the need for offline LAANC maps enhances the 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Summary | — | USFS Mendocino NF contains Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness and is one of the more remote California national forests. Annual fire season TFRs and active air tanker traffic make summer flights hazardous. |
| Mapped shapes | — | b9f15284-4ee7-4b65-a635-ff66d4efc382 |
Before
After
## Drone Rules - Mendocino NF, California **Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness (153,000 acres)** bans drones; summer fire TFRs regularly close the forest to all UAS operations. ### Airspace / Site Context - The forest is the most fire-prone in California's national forest system; air tanker retardant drops occur routinely - No Class D or C airports inside the forest; Red Bluff Municipal (RBL) Class D is ~35 NM east - TFRs during active fires can be issued with 15-minute notice and cover the entire forest -- check B4UFLY in real time ### Key Rules - Do NOT fly during any active fire TFR -- drones have grounded air tankers in this forest, triggering federal charges - USFS Special Use Permit required for commercial photography in the forest - Cell service is non-existent in most of the forest -- download B4UFLY maps offline before departing ### Source - USFS Mendocino: https://www.fs.usda.gov/mendocino
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+ ## Drone Rules - Mendocino NF, California + + **Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness (153,000 acres)** bans drones; summer fire TFRs regularly close the forest to all UAS operations. + + ### Airspace / Site Context + - The forest is the most fire-prone in California's national forest system; air tanker retardant drops occur routinely + - No Class D or C airports inside the forest; Red Bluff Municipal (RBL) Class D is ~35 NM east + - TFRs during active fires can be issued with 15-minute notice and cover the entire forest -- check B4UFLY in real time + + ### Key Rules + - Do NOT fly during any active fire TFR -- drones have grounded air tankers in this forest, triggering federal charges + - USFS Special Use Permit required for commercial photography in the forest + - Cell service is non-existent in most of the forest -- download B4UFLY maps offline before departing + + ### Source + - USFS Mendocino: https://www.fs.usda.gov/mendocino +