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Drone Rules for Gulf Islands National Seashore

Gulf Breeze, Florida (FL) • United States
2541–2589 J Earle Bowden Way, Gulf Breeze, FL 32561, USA
Lat: 30.3512 • Lng: -87.0353
Ground Not allowed Last updated: May 29, 2026
Summary
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Drone operations are strictly prohibited at Gulf Islands National Seashore under NPS regulations. No recreational or commercial flights are permitted without an explicit Special Use Permit. Spanning Florida and Mississippi, the seashore lies adjacent to Eglin Air Force Base and Pensacola Naval Air Station — creating ac

Authorization Status

  • Recreational: ❌ 100% Banned
  • Commercial (Part 107): ❌ Not allowed without NPS Special Use Permit
  • Military: ⚠️ Eglin AFB + NAS Pensacola restricted airspace adjacent
  • ESA: ⚠️ Loggerhead sea turtle and Snowy Plover nesting beaches

Geographic Boundaries

Gulf Islands National Seashore spans Santa Rosa and Escambia Counties, Florida, and Harrison and Jackson Counties, Mississippi.

  • Total area: ~65,817 acres
  • Coordinates: 30.3500° N, 87.0000° W
  • Includes Fort Pickens, Ship Island, Horn Island Wilderness, Perdido Key, and Davis Bayou
  • Adjacent to Eglin AFB (largest U.S. Air Force base by area) and NAS Pensacola (birthplace of U.S. Naval aviation)
  • Nearest city: Gulf Breeze, FL (Florida headquarters)

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
  • Military airspace: Eglin AFB restricted areas R-2914/R-2915 and NAS Pensacola Class D overlap park boundaries
  • ESA (16 U.S.C. § 1531) — Loggerhead sea turtle and Snowy Plover threatened nesting habitats
  • MBTA (16 U.S.C. § 703) — colonial waterbird nesting
  • Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. § 1131) — Horn Island Wilderness
  • FAA 14 CFR Part 107 governs commercial operations
  • Airspace: Class G within park; military R-areas and Class D adjacent

Penalties

  • NPS fines up to $5,000 per violation
  • Military airspace violation: federal criminal prosecution
  • ESA Section 9: up to $50,000 + 1 year per species incident
  • MBTA: fines up to $15,000 + 6 months per bird disturbance
  • FAA civil penalties up to $27,500 per violation per day
  • Equipment confiscation by NPS rangers and/or military security

Special Permissions

  • NPS Special Use Permit required
  • Eglin AFB and NAS Pensacola military coordination mandatory
  • Sea turtle nesting blackout: May–October beaches Submit requests to: Gulf Islands NS Superintendent, 1801 Gulf Breeze Pkwy, Gulf Breeze, FL 32563
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Rule sources
  • https://www.nps.gov/guis/planyourvisit/unmanned-aircraft.htm — NPS Policy Memorandum 14-05 and 36 CFR § 1.5 prohibit all drone operations. Eglin AFB and NAS Pensacola military restricted airspace, ESA sea turtle and Snowy Plover nesting, and Wilderness Act add multi-layer federal and military restrictions.
Parent Rule Pages