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Drone Rules for Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge

Milton, Delaware (DE) • United States
11978 Turkle Pond Rd, Milton, DE 19968, USA
Lat: 38.83 • Lng: -75.2484
Ground Not allowed Last updated: May 30, 2026
Summary
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Prime Hook NWR prohibits all UAS operations under USFWS Director's Order 210. The refuge provides critical Atlantic Flyway stopover habitat and was substantially restored after 2012 storm damage.

Drone Rules - Prime Hook NWR

All drone operations are prohibited under USFWS Director's Order 210 (2015) without a Special Use Permit.

Airspace / Site Context

  • Delaware Bay corridor is one of the highest-density shorebird stopover zones in the Western Hemisphere
  • Georgetown/Sussex County Airport (KGED) Class D lies ~8 miles west
  • Refuge spans 10,144 acres of freshwater marsh, beach, and forest
  • Critical foraging habitat for American Black Duck, a species of conservation concern

Key Rules

  • No UAS without USFWS Special Use Permit
  • Piping Plover (ESA threatened) nesting beaches closed drone operations spring-summer
  • Refuge boundary overlaps Delaware Seashore State Park; both agencies prohibit drones
  • Waterfowl hunting season adds safety considerations fall-winter

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