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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
Rules Edit History: Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge
Showing changes between revisions.
Mapped shape change
Old outline is gray. New outline is blue.
May 30, 2026 7:42 AM
Approved
• Added USFWS drone prohibition for Sacramento NWR with 350,000-duck Pacific Flyway staging, Aleutian cackling goose recovery, and SMF Class C proximity context.
Moderation feedback
Approved
Confidence: 0.75
Your proposed edit detailing the drone prohibition at Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge has been approved. This aligns with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regulations prohibiting drone operations within the refuge. The added context enhances understanding of the area's drone flight considerations. The outline has been updated to accurately represent the restricted area.
Changed fields
Mapped shape change
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| Field | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Summary | Drones are prohibited at Sacramento NWR per USFWS regulations. Pacific Flyway waterfowl peak at millions of birds. | 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. |
| Mapped shapes | 30a247ce-fc8f-4000-82dc-c03a690fde5b | 28a32f7c-4344-4beb-b2e4-36ab0e856b28 |
Before
## Drone Rules - Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge **Drone use is prohibited** at Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge. ### Key Rules - No recreational drone flights within refuge boundaries - Research use requires a Special Use Permit - Peak fall counts exceed 1 million ducks and 300,000 geese in the Sacramento Valley's largest wildlife refuge ### Source - FWS Refuge Regulations: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/sacramento
After
## 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
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+ ### 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 ### Source
May 29, 2026 5:50 AM
Approved
• Added USFWS drone ban for Sacramento NWR with million-duck peak count context.
Moderation feedback
NeedsHumanReview
Confidence: 0.75
Your proposed edit to prohibit drone flights at Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge has been approved. The updated rule now accurately reflects the prohibition of drone operations in this area, aligning with U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service regulations and the refuge's status as a protected area for wildlife.
Changed fields
Mapped shape change
Click to load this change into the shared map viewer here.
| Field | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Flight status | Unknown | NoFly |
| Summary | — | Drones are prohibited at Sacramento NWR per USFWS regulations. Pacific Flyway waterfowl peak at millions of birds. |
| Mapped shapes | — | 30a247ce-fc8f-4000-82dc-c03a690fde5b |
Before
After
## Drone Rules - Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge **Drone use is prohibited** at Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge. ### Key Rules - No recreational drone flights within refuge boundaries - Research use requires a Special Use Permit - Peak fall counts exceed 1 million ducks and 300,000 geese in the Sacramento Valley's largest wildlife refuge ### Source - FWS Refuge Regulations: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/sacramento
Show inline change markers
+ ## Drone Rules - Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge + + **Drone use is prohibited** at Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge. + + ### Key Rules + - No recreational drone flights within refuge boundaries + - Research use requires a Special Use Permit + - Peak fall counts exceed 1 million ducks and 300,000 geese in the Sacramento Valley's largest wildlife refuge + + ### Source + - FWS Refuge Regulations: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/sacramento +