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Drone Rules for St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge
Saint Marks, Florida (FL)
• United States
St. Marks Nat'l Wildlife Refuge, Florida, USA
Lat: 30.1367 • Lng: -84.2384
Rules Edit History: St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge
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May 30, 2026 8:28 AM
Approved
• Added USFWS drone prohibition for St. Marks NWR with 500,000-monarch-butterfly fall roost, Gulf sturgeon ESA, and TLH Class C proximity context.
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Approved
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Your proposed edit detailing the drone prohibition at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge has been approved. This aligns with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regulations prohibiting drone operations within national wildlife refuges. The added context regarding the refuge's proximity to Tallahassee International Airport's Class C airspace, the presence of monarch butterfly migration roosts, and Gulf sturgeon spawning areas enhances understanding of the area's drone flight considerations. The outline has been updated to accurately represent the restricted area.
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| Field | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Flight status | Unknown | NoFly |
| Summary | — | USFWS prohibits drones on St. Marks NWR. The Gulf Coast refuge is a primary fall monarch butterfly migration landfall site and protects the Gulf Sturgeon (threatened) in the St. Marks River. |
| Mapped shapes | — | d66f48f0-fb3e-491c-829a-f112f70b213e |
Before
After
## Drone Rules - St. Marks NWR, Florida **Drones are prohibited** under USFWS Director's Order 210. ### Airspace / Site Context - Located ~25 miles south of Tallahassee; Tallahassee International (TLH) Class C outer ring extends ~20 NM south and may reach the northern refuge boundary - October monarch butterfly migration: up to 500,000 monarchs roost in the coastal scrub at the peninsula tip before crossing the Gulf of Mexico - Gulf sturgeon (threatened) spawn in the St. Marks River; drone boat-wake vibration at low altitude is a documented concern during August-September upriver runs ### Key Rules - LAANC check for TLH Class C for any flight in the Wakulla County area - Monarch roost (October): USFWS requests no UAS flights within 0.5 miles of documented roost trees during October migration peak - USFWS Special Use Permit required; research permits go to USFWS Southeast Region Florida office ### Source - USFWS St. Marks: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/st-marks
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+ ## Drone Rules - St. Marks NWR, Florida + + **Drones are prohibited** under USFWS Director's Order 210. + + ### Airspace / Site Context + - Located ~25 miles south of Tallahassee; Tallahassee International (TLH) Class C outer ring extends ~20 NM south and may reach the northern refuge boundary + - October monarch butterfly migration: up to 500,000 monarchs roost in the coastal scrub at the peninsula tip before crossing the Gulf of Mexico + - Gulf sturgeon (threatened) spawn in the St. Marks River; drone boat-wake vibration at low altitude is a documented concern during August-September upriver runs + + ### Key Rules + - LAANC check for TLH Class C for any flight in the Wakulla County area + - Monarch roost (October): USFWS requests no UAS flights within 0.5 miles of documented roost trees during October migration peak + - USFWS Special Use Permit required; research permits go to USFWS Southeast Region Florida office + + ### Source + - USFWS St. Marks: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/st-marks +