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Drone Rules for Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge

Hillsboro, Georgia (GA) • United States
718 Round Oak Juliette Rd, Hillsboro, GA 31038, USA
Lat: 33.0986 • Lng: -83.7131
Ground Not allowed Last updated: May 30, 2026
Summary
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Piedmont NWR prohibits all drone operations under USFWS Director's Order 210. The refuge is one of the premier Red-cockaded Woodpecker recovery sites in the Southeast, with active nest cavity management.

Drone Rules - Piedmont NWR

All UAS operations are prohibited under USFWS Director's Order 210 (2015). Special Use Permit required.

Airspace / Site Context

  • Middle Georgia Regional Airport (KMLJ) Class D lies ~20 miles SE
  • Refuge spans 35,000 acres of longleaf and loblolly pine forest in Jones and Jasper Counties
  • One of six NWR managed specifically for Red-cockaded Woodpecker (RCW) recovery
  • Over 100 active RCW cavity trees marked and monitored by USFWS staff

Key Rules

  • No drone operations without Special Use Permit
  • Red-cockaded Woodpecker (ESA endangered) nest cavities are federal critical habitat
  • Cavity-tree buffer zones prohibit any disturbance within 200 feet
  • Controlled burns occur regularly; drones prohibited during and after burns

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