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Drone Rules for Craters of the Moon National Monument

Arco, Idaho (id) • United States
1266 Craters Loop Road, Arco, ID 83213, USA
Lat: 43.4621 • Lng: -113.562

Rules Edit History: Craters of the Moon National Monument

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May 30, 2026 5:03 AM Approved • Added NPS drone prohibition for Craters of the Moon NM with lava tube bat habitat and Wilderness Area context.
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Approved Confidence: 0.99
Your proposed edit to include the National Park Service's prohibition on drone use within Craters of the Moon National Monument has been approved. This aligns with the Superintendent's Compendium, which prohibits the use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in all areas of the park. The added context about the park's lava tube caves and Wilderness Area designation enhances the understanding of the area's drone flight considerations. The outline has been updated to accurately represent the restricted area.
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Flight status Unknown NoFly
Summary NPS prohibits drones within all national monument boundaries. Craters of the Moon's lava tube caves and volcanic cones are a designated Wilderness Area.
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## Drone Rules - Craters of the Moon NM, Idaho

**Drones are prohibited** within Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve under 36 CFR 1.5.

### Airspace / Site Context
- 750,000-acre monument including 410,000 acres of designated Wilderness -- motorized use ban applies
- Lava tube caves (Boy Scout Cave, Indian Tunnel) are habitat for Townsend's big-eared bat colonies; vibration from UAS disrupts hibernation
- Nearest controlled airspace: Idaho Falls Regional (IDA) Class C is ~55 NM east; monument interior is Class G

### Key Rules
- NPS Special Use Permit required for scientific research flights within monument
- Wilderness designation means no mechanical devices of any kind without an exemption
- BLM land borders the monument; confirm parcel before launching near the boundary

### Source
- NPS Craters of the Moon: https://www.nps.gov/crmo
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+ ## Drone Rules - Craters of the Moon NM, Idaho
+ 
+ **Drones are prohibited** within Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve under 36 CFR 1.5.
+ 
+ ### Airspace / Site Context
+ - 750,000-acre monument including 410,000 acres of designated Wilderness -- motorized use ban applies
+ - Lava tube caves (Boy Scout Cave, Indian Tunnel) are habitat for Townsend's big-eared bat colonies; vibration from UAS disrupts hibernation
+ - Nearest controlled airspace: Idaho Falls Regional (IDA) Class C is ~55 NM east; monument interior is Class G
+ 
+ ### Key Rules
+ - NPS Special Use Permit required for scientific research flights within monument
+ - Wilderness designation means no mechanical devices of any kind without an exemption
+ - BLM land borders the monument; confirm parcel before launching near the boundary
+ 
+ ### Source
+ - NPS Craters of the Moon: https://www.nps.gov/crmo
+ 
May 27, 2026 2:53 AM Approved • Rollback user history: Incorrect link
Author: jaystechvault (11074)
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Administrative rollback audit entry.
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Rule category Air Ground
Flight status NoFly Unknown
Summary National Park Service land. Total drone ban (no launch, land, or operate).
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National Park Service land. Complete ban on launching, landing, and operating drones per Superintendent’s Compendium to protect natural resources, wildlife, and visitor experience.
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- National Park Service land. Complete ban on launching, landing, and operating drones per Superintendent’s Compendium to protect natural resources, wildlife, and visitor experience.