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Drone Rules for Cumberland Island National Seashore

St. Marys, Georgia (GA) • United States
Plum Orchard Dr, St Marys, GA 31558, USA
Lat: 30.8473 • Lng: -81.4546
Ground Not allowed Last updated: May 29, 2026
Summary
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Drone operations are strictly prohibited at Cumberland Island National Seashore under NPS regulations. No recreational or commercial flights are permitted without an explicit Special Use Permit. Georgia's largest barrier island protects critical Loggerhead sea turtle nesting beaches, wild horse herds, and Carnegie esta

Authorization Status

  • Recreational: ❌ 100% Banned
  • Commercial (Part 107): ❌ Not allowed without NPS Special Use Permit
  • ESA: ⚠️ Loggerhead sea turtle critical nesting habitat
  • Wild horses: ⚠️ Free-roaming herd — disturbance prohibited

Geographic Boundaries

Cumberland Island National Seashore is located in Camden County, Georgia, on the Atlantic coast.

  • Total area: ~36,415 acres
  • Length: ~17 miles barrier island
  • Coordinates: 30.8333° N, 81.4667° W
  • Includes Dungeness ruins, Plum Orchard mansion, Cumberland Island Wilderness, and wild horse herds
  • Access by ferry only from St. Marys, GA
  • Nearest city: St. Marys, GA (~7 miles west by ferry)

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
  • ESA (16 U.S.C. § 1531) — Loggerhead sea turtle threatened; nesting beach UAS constitutes ESA Section 9 harassment
  • Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act (16 U.S.C. § 1331)
  • Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. § 1131) — Cumberland Island Wilderness
  • FAA 14 CFR Part 107 governs commercial operations
  • Airspace: Class G; no controlled airspace over seashore

Penalties

  • NPS fines up to $5,000 per violation
  • ESA Section 9: up to $50,000 + 1 year per sea turtle incident
  • Wild Horse Act: fines up to $2,000 + 1 year imprisonment
  • Wilderness Act: fines up to $5,000 + 6 months imprisonment
  • FAA civil penalties up to $27,500 per violation per day
  • Equipment confiscation by park rangers

Special Permissions

  • NPS Special Use Permit required
  • Sea turtle nesting blackout: May–October absolute ban on beaches Submit requests to: Cumberland Island NS Superintendent, 101 Wheeler Street, St. Marys, GA 31558
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Rule sources
  • https://www.nps.gov/cuis/planyourvisit/unmanned-aircraft.htm — NPS Policy Memorandum 14-05 and 36 CFR § 1.5 prohibit all drone operations. ESA Loggerhead sea turtle nesting beach protections, Wild Horse Act, and Wilderness Act add multi-layer federal restrictions with seasonal absolute bans May — October.
Parent Rule Pages