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Drone Rules for Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Montrose County, Colorado (CO)
• United States
Colorado, USA
Lat: 38.5827 • Lng: -107.742
Rules Edit History: Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
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Mapped shape change
Old outline is gray. New outline is blue.
May 29, 2026 6:23 AM
Approved
• Added NPS drone prohibition for Black Canyon of the Gunnison with falcon nesting context.
Moderation feedback
Approved
Confidence: 0.99
Your proposed edit to prohibit drone operations in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, emphasizing the protection of peregrine falcon nesting sites, has been approved. The prohibition aligns with National Park Service regulations and the park's status as a protected area for wildlife. The added context about peregrine falcon nesting enhances the understanding of the restriction. The outline has been updated to accurately represent the park's boundaries.
Sources
- https://www.nps.gov/subjects/sound/uas.htm
- https://www.nps.gov/blca/planyourvisit/unmanned-aircraft.htm — NPS Policy Memorandum 14-05 and 36 CFR § 1.5 prohibit all drone operations within Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. MBTA Peregrine Falcon nesting cliff protections and Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act add seasonal absolute ban layers March — July.
- https://www.nps.gov/blca/planyourvisit/rules.htm
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| Field | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Summary | Drone operations are strictly prohibited at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park under NPS regulations, controlled by the National Park Service. No recreational or commercial flights are permitted without an explicit Special Use Permit from the park superintendent. One of the steepest and most dramatic canyons in | Drones are prohibited in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park per NPS policy. |
| Mapped shapes | 5bffca99-2070-4fbc-89fa-33c809640b59 | 6271d1e1-26f9-45f8-885b-91dd166016b0 |
Before
## Authorization Status - Recreational: ❌ 100% Banned - Commercial (Part 107): ❌ Not allowed without NPS Special Use Permit - Wilderness: ❌ Black Canyon Wilderness absolute motorized ban - Peregrine Falcon: ⚠️ Active nesting cliffs — seasonal absolute ban ## Geographic Boundaries Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is located in Montrose and Gunnison Counties, Colorado. - Total area: ~30,750 acres - Coordinates: 38.5754° N, 107.7416° W - Includes Painted Wall (2,250 ft — tallest cliff in Colorado), Gunnison River gorge, South Rim Drive, and North Rim - Black Canyon Wilderness: ~15,598 acres - Nearest city: Montrose, CO (~15 miles west) ## Regulations - NPS Management Policies § 8.2.2 prohibits UAS in all NPS units - 36 CFR § 1.5 — Superintendent's closure authority - 36 CFR § 2.17(a)(3) — Prohibits air delivery/retrieval within park - Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. § 1131) — absolute motorized ban - Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. § 703) — Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) nesting cliff protection - Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (16 U.S.C. § 668) — Golden Eagle nesting territories within canyon - FAA 14 CFR Part 107 governs commercial operations nationwide - Airspace: Class G; canyon downdraft creates severe operational safety hazards for UAS ## Penalties - NPS fines up to $5,000 per violation - Wilderness Act: fines up to $5,000 + 6 months imprisonment - MBTA fines up to $15,000 + 6 months per falcon disturbance - BGEPA: fines up to $10,000 + 2 years per eagle violation - FAA civil penalties up to $27,500 per violation per day - Equipment confiscation by park rangers ## Special Permissions - NPS Special Use Permit required - Peregrine Falcon nesting blackout: March–July absolute ban - Wildlife research: USFWS MBTA + BGEPA permits required Submit requests to: Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP Superintendent, 102 Elk Creek, Gunnison, CO 81230
After
## Drone Rules - Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park **Drone flights are banned** at Black Canyon of the Gunnison. ### Key Rules - No recreational drone use within the park - Commercial filming requires a Special Use Permit - Peregrine falcon nesting on canyon walls requires strict aerial buffer ### Source - NPS UAS Policy: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/sound/uas.htm
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- - Recreational: ❌ 100% Banned - - Commercial (Part 107): ❌ Not allowed without NPS Special Use Permit - - Wilderness: ❌ Black Canyon Wilderness absolute motorized ban - - Peregrine Falcon: ⚠️ Active nesting cliffs — seasonal absolute ban - Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is located in - Montrose and Gunnison Counties, Colorado. - - Total area: ~30,750 acres - - Coordinates: 38.5754° N, 107.7416° W - - Includes Painted Wall (2,250 ft — tallest cliff in Colorado), - Gunnison River gorge, South Rim Drive, and North Rim - - Black Canyon Wilderness: ~15,598 acres - - Nearest city: Montrose, CO (~15 miles west) - - Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. § 1131) — absolute motorized ban - - Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. § 703) — Peregrine Falcon - (Falco peregrinus) nesting cliff protection - - Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (16 U.S.C. § 668) — - Golden Eagle nesting territories within canyon - - FAA 14 CFR Part 107 governs commercial operations nationwide - - Airspace: Class G; canyon downdraft creates severe - operational safety hazards for UAS - - Wilderness Act: fines up to $5,000 + 6 months imprisonment - - MBTA fines up to $15,000 + 6 months per falcon disturbance - - BGEPA: fines up to $10,000 + 2 years per eagle violation - - FAA civil penalties up to $27,500 per violation per day - - Equipment confiscation by park rangers - ## Special Permissions - - NPS Special Use Permit required - - Peregrine Falcon nesting blackout: March–July absolute ban - - Wildlife research: USFWS MBTA + BGEPA permits required - Submit requests to: Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP Superintendent, - 102 Elk Creek, Gunnison, CO 81230
May 28, 2026 11:43 PM
Approved
• Added drone restriction profile for Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park based on NPS Policy Memorandum 14-05, 36 CFR § 1.5, Wilderness Act, MBTA Peregrine Falcon nesting protections, and Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act 16 U.S.C. § 668.
Moderation feedback
Approved
Confidence: 0.99
Your proposed edit to the drone restriction profile for Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is approved. The information is accurate and well-supported by official sources, and the outline appropriately matches the selected location. Thank you for your contribution.
Sources
- https://www.nps.gov/subjects/sound/uas.htm
- https://www.nps.gov/blca/planyourvisit/unmanned-aircraft.htm — NPS Policy Memorandum 14-05 and 36 CFR § 1.5 prohibit all drone operations within Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. MBTA Peregrine Falcon nesting cliff protections and Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act add seasonal absolute ban layers March — July.
- https://www.nps.gov/blca/planyourvisit/rules.htm
Changed fields
| Field | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Summary | Drones are prohibited in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park per NPS policy. | Drone operations are strictly prohibited at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park under NPS regulations, controlled by the National Park Service. No recreational or commercial flights are permitted without an explicit Special Use Permit from the park superintendent. One of the steepest and most dramatic canyons in |
Before
## Drone Rules - Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park **Drone flights are banned** at Black Canyon of the Gunnison. ### Key Rules - No recreational drone use within the park - Commercial filming requires a Special Use Permit - Peregrine falcon nesting on canyon walls requires strict aerial buffer ### Source - NPS UAS Policy: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/sound/uas.htm
After
## Authorization Status - Recreational: ❌ 100% Banned - Commercial (Part 107): ❌ Not allowed without NPS Special Use Permit - Wilderness: ❌ Black Canyon Wilderness absolute motorized ban - Peregrine Falcon: ⚠️ Active nesting cliffs — seasonal absolute ban ## Geographic Boundaries Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is located in Montrose and Gunnison Counties, Colorado. - Total area: ~30,750 acres - Coordinates: 38.5754° N, 107.7416° W - Includes Painted Wall (2,250 ft — tallest cliff in Colorado), Gunnison River gorge, South Rim Drive, and North Rim - Black Canyon Wilderness: ~15,598 acres - Nearest city: Montrose, CO (~15 miles west) ## Regulations - NPS Management Policies § 8.2.2 prohibits UAS in all NPS units - 36 CFR § 1.5 — Superintendent's closure authority - 36 CFR § 2.17(a)(3) — Prohibits air delivery/retrieval within park - Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. § 1131) — absolute motorized ban - Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. § 703) — Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) nesting cliff protection - Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (16 U.S.C. § 668) — Golden Eagle nesting territories within canyon - FAA 14 CFR Part 107 governs commercial operations nationwide - Airspace: Class G; canyon downdraft creates severe operational safety hazards for UAS ## Penalties - NPS fines up to $5,000 per violation - Wilderness Act: fines up to $5,000 + 6 months imprisonment - MBTA fines up to $15,000 + 6 months per falcon disturbance - BGEPA: fines up to $10,000 + 2 years per eagle violation - FAA civil penalties up to $27,500 per violation per day - Equipment confiscation by park rangers ## Special Permissions - NPS Special Use Permit required - Peregrine Falcon nesting blackout: March–July absolute ban - Wildlife research: USFWS MBTA + BGEPA permits required Submit requests to: Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP Superintendent, 102 Elk Creek, Gunnison, CO 81230
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+ - Recreational: ❌ 100% Banned + - Commercial (Part 107): ❌ Not allowed without NPS Special Use Permit + - Wilderness: ❌ Black Canyon Wilderness absolute motorized ban + - Peregrine Falcon: ⚠️ Active nesting cliffs — seasonal absolute ban + Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is located in + Montrose and Gunnison Counties, Colorado. + - Total area: ~30,750 acres + - Coordinates: 38.5754° N, 107.7416° W + - Includes Painted Wall (2,250 ft — tallest cliff in Colorado), + Gunnison River gorge, South Rim Drive, and North Rim + - Black Canyon Wilderness: ~15,598 acres + - Nearest city: Montrose, CO (~15 miles west) + - Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. § 1131) — absolute motorized ban + - Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. § 703) — Peregrine Falcon + (Falco peregrinus) nesting cliff protection + - Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (16 U.S.C. § 668) — + Golden Eagle nesting territories within canyon + - FAA 14 CFR Part 107 governs commercial operations nationwide + - Airspace: Class G; canyon downdraft creates severe + operational safety hazards for UAS + - Wilderness Act: fines up to $5,000 + 6 months imprisonment + - MBTA fines up to $15,000 + 6 months per falcon disturbance + - BGEPA: fines up to $10,000 + 2 years per eagle violation + - FAA civil penalties up to $27,500 per violation per day + - Equipment confiscation by park rangers + ## Special Permissions + - NPS Special Use Permit required + - Peregrine Falcon nesting blackout: March–July absolute ban + - Wildlife research: USFWS MBTA + BGEPA permits required + Submit requests to: Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP Superintendent, + 102 Elk Creek, Gunnison, CO 81230
May 28, 2026 2:08 AM
Approved
• Added NPS drone prohibition for Black Canyon of the Gunnison with falcon nesting context.
Moderation feedback
NeedsHumanReview
Confidence: 0.65
Your submission needs a human moderator because the automated check was not confident enough.
Changed fields
| Field | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Flight status | Permission | NoFly |
| Summary | United States National Parks are restricted from taking off, landing, or controlling a drone within the park to those with permission. Which is rare to receive. | Drones are prohibited in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park per NPS policy. |
Before
## This action applies to the launching, landing, and operation of uncrewed aircraft on lands and waters administered by the NPS. Jurisdiction by the NPS ends at the park boundary. The policy memorandum does not modify any requirement imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the use or operation of uncrewed aircraft in the National Airspace System. https://www.nps.gov/articles/uncrewed-aircraft-in-the-national-parks.htm
After
## Drone Rules - Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park **Drone flights are banned** at Black Canyon of the Gunnison. ### Key Rules - No recreational drone use within the park - Commercial filming requires a Special Use Permit - Peregrine falcon nesting on canyon walls requires strict aerial buffer ### Source - NPS UAS Policy: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/sound/uas.htm
Show inline change markers
+ **Drone flights are banned** at Black Canyon of the Gunnison. + + ### Key Rules + - No recreational drone use within the park + - Commercial filming requires a Special Use Permit + - Peregrine falcon nesting on canyon walls requires strict aerial buffer + + ### Source + - NPS UAS Policy: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/sound/uas.htm - https://www.nps.gov/articles/uncrewed-aircraft-in-the-national-parks.htm
May 27, 2026 10:57 PM
Approved
• Rollback user history: Included broken and wrong link... In every post. Mass edit spam of national parks adding nothing specific.
Moderation feedback
Administrative rollback audit entry.
Changed fields
| Field | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Flight status | NoFly | Permission |
| Summary | Drones are prohibited in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park per NPS policy. | United States National Parks are restricted from taking off, landing, or controlling a drone within the park to those with permission. Which is rare to receive. |
Before
## Drone Rules - Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park **Drones are not permitted** in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. ### Key Rules - No recreational drone flights within the park - Commercial use requires a Special Use Permit - Peregrine falcon nesting sites in the canyon walls are highly sensitive to aerial disturbance ### Source - Black Canyon NPS Rules: https://www.nps.gov/blca/planyourvisit/rules.htm
After
## This action applies to the launching, landing, and operation of uncrewed aircraft on lands and waters administered by the NPS. Jurisdiction by the NPS ends at the park boundary. The policy memorandum does not modify any requirement imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the use or operation of uncrewed aircraft in the National Airspace System. https://www.nps.gov/articles/uncrewed-aircraft-in-the-national-parks.htm
Show inline change markers
+ This action applies to the launching, landing, and operation of uncrewed aircraft on lands and waters administered by the NPS. Jurisdiction by the NPS ends at the park boundary. The policy memorandum does not modify any requirement imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the use or operation of uncrewed aircraft in the National Airspace System. - - ### Key Rules - - No recreational drone flights within the park - - Commercial use requires a Special Use Permit - - Peregrine falcon nesting sites in the canyon walls are highly sensitive to aerial disturbance - - ### Source - - Black Canyon NPS Rules: https://www.nps.gov/blca/planyourvisit/rules.htm -
May 27, 2026 10:17 AM
Approved
• Rollback user history: Bad outlines
Moderation feedback
Administrative rollback audit entry.
Changed fields
Mapped shape change
Click to load this change into the shared map viewer here.
| Field | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Flight status | NoFly | Permission |
| Summary | Drones are prohibited in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park per NPS policy. | United States National Parks are restricted from taking off, landing, or controlling a drone within the park to those with permission. Which is rare to receive. |
| Mapped shapes | 5b894553-98dd-4708-8f62-2af0067958b1 | 5bffca99-2070-4fbc-89fa-33c809640b59 |
Before
## Drone Rules - Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park **Drones are not permitted** in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. ### Key Rules - No recreational drone flights within the park - Commercial use requires a Special Use Permit - Peregrine falcon nesting sites in the canyon walls are highly sensitive to aerial disturbance ### Source - Black Canyon NPS Rules: https://www.nps.gov/blca/planyourvisit/rules.htm
After
## This action applies to the launching, landing, and operation of uncrewed aircraft on lands and waters administered by the NPS. Jurisdiction by the NPS ends at the park boundary. The policy memorandum does not modify any requirement imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the use or operation of uncrewed aircraft in the National Airspace System. https://www.nps.gov/articles/uncrewed-aircraft-in-the-national-parks.htm
Show inline change markers
+ This action applies to the launching, landing, and operation of uncrewed aircraft on lands and waters administered by the NPS. Jurisdiction by the NPS ends at the park boundary. The policy memorandum does not modify any requirement imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the use or operation of uncrewed aircraft in the National Airspace System. - - ### Key Rules - - No recreational drone flights within the park - - Commercial use requires a Special Use Permit - - Peregrine falcon nesting sites in the canyon walls are highly sensitive to aerial disturbance - - ### Source - - Black Canyon NPS Rules: https://www.nps.gov/blca/planyourvisit/rules.htm -
Changed fields
Mapped shape change
Click to load this change into the shared map viewer here.
| Field | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Rule category | — | Ground |
| Flight status | — | Permission |
| Summary | — | United States National Parks are restricted from taking off, landing, or controlling a drone within the park to those with permission. Which is rare to receive. |
| Mapped shapes | — | 5bffca99-2070-4fbc-89fa-33c809640b59 |
Before
After
## This action applies to the launching, landing, and operation of uncrewed aircraft on lands and waters administered by the NPS. Jurisdiction by the NPS ends at the park boundary. The policy memorandum does not modify any requirement imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the use or operation of uncrewed aircraft in the National Airspace System. https://www.nps.gov/articles/uncrewed-aircraft-in-the-national-parks.htm
Show inline change markers
+ ## + This action applies to the launching, landing, and operation of uncrewed aircraft on lands and waters administered by the NPS. Jurisdiction by the NPS ends at the park boundary. The policy memorandum does not modify any requirement imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the use or operation of uncrewed aircraft in the National Airspace System. + + https://www.nps.gov/articles/uncrewed-aircraft-in-the-national-parks.htm