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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
Rules Edit History: Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge
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Old outline is gray. New outline is blue.
May 30, 2026 8:50 AM
Approved
• Added USFWS drone prohibition for Piedmont NWR with Red-cockaded Woodpecker ESA recovery site context and cavity-tree buffer zones.
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Approved
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Your proposed edit detailing the drone prohibition at Piedmont 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 location in central Georgia and its status as a habitat for the endangered Red-cockaded Woodpecker 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 | — | 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. |
| Mapped shapes | — | 224d4816-2c57-442a-b68c-ad71fd044fb8 |
Before
After
## 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 ### Source - USFWS: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/piedmont
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+ ## 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 + + ### Source + - USFWS: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/piedmont +