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Drone Rules for Grays Lake National Wildlife Refuge

Wayan, Idaho (id) • United States
74 Grays Lake Rd, Wayan, ID 83285, USA
Lat: 43.0321 • Lng: -111.378
Ground Not allowed Last updated: May 30, 2026
Summary
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USFWS prohibits drones on Grays Lake NWR. The high-elevation marsh is the most important nesting habitat for the greater sandhill crane in the contiguous US and was the release site for the first whooping crane foster-parent experiment.

Drone Rules - Grays Lake NWR, Idaho

Drones are prohibited under USFWS Director's Order 210.

Airspace / Site Context

  • Grays Lake (6,400 ft MSL) is the largest freshwater marsh in North America at high elevation; greater sandhill crane density is the highest in the US
  • The 1975-1989 whooping crane foster-parent experiment placed whooping crane eggs in sandhill crane nests here; the legacy makes the site a focal point for crane research
  • Pocatello Regional (PIH) Class C is ~60 NM northwest; Idaho Falls Regional (IDA) Class C is ~40 NM north

Key Rules

  • Crane nesting season (April-July): USFWS enforces a 0.5-mile no-fly buffer around occupied territories
  • High elevation launches (6,400 ft MSL): density altitude up to 9,000 ft DA on summer afternoons; battery and lift capacity significantly reduced
  • USFWS Special Use Permit required; sandhill crane research here requires USFWS Mountain-Prairie Region approval

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