← Back to Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge
Drone Rules for Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge
Willows, California (CA)
• United States
752 Co Rd 99W, Willows, CA 95988, USA
Lat: 39.4297 • Lng: -122.192
Ground
Not allowed
Last updated: May 30, 2026
Summary
USFWS prohibits drones on Sacramento NWR. The Sacramento Valley refuges are critical Pacific Flyway staging areas for waterfowl including greater white-fronted geese, pintails, and mallards.
Drone Rules - Sacramento NWR, California
Drones are prohibited under USFWS Director's Order 210; the Sacramento NWR Complex (five units) is managed under a single prohibition.
Airspace / Site Context
- Up to 350,000 ducks and 50,000 geese stage in the Sacramento Valley refuges from October through February
- Red Bluff Municipal (RBL) Class D is ~30 NM north; Sacramento International (SMF) Class C outer ring extends into the northern Central Valley
- Aleutian cackling goose (recently recovered from ESA threatened) still congregates here -- a recovery success story that drone disturbance could undermine
Key Rules
- LAANC check required near RBL and SMF for flights in the Sacramento Valley corridor
- USFWS Special Use Permit required; waterfowl banding research permits require USFWS migratory bird permit from the Pacific Region
- Auto tour route (3-mile loop) is open daily; launching from the tour route is a federal violation
Source
- USFWS Sacramento NWR: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/sacramento