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Drone Rules for Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge
Hartford, Kansas (KS)
• United States
530 W Maple Ave, Hartford, KS 66854, USA
Lat: 38.3121 • Lng: -95.964
Rules Edit History: Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge
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Old outline is gray. New outline is blue.
May 30, 2026 8:08 AM
Approved
• Added USFWS drone prohibition for Flint Hills NWR with interior least tern sandbar nesting, Army Corps dam restriction, and bald eagle winter context.
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Approved
Confidence: 0.99
Your proposed edit detailing the drone prohibition at Flint Hills 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 interior least tern nesting sites, bald eagle wintering, and the proximity to John Redmond Reservoir 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 | — | USFWS prohibits drones on Flint Hills NWR. The reservoir refuge on John Redmond Reservoir is a migration stopover for interior least tern and a wintering site for bald eagles along the Arkansas River corridor. |
| Mapped shapes | — | d1f4efe7-c47f-4799-a7ca-c6594b9c35ca |
Before
After
## Drone Rules - Flint Hills NWR, Kansas **Drones are prohibited** under USFWS Director's Order 210. ### Airspace / Site Context - Interior least tern (ESA endangered) nests on sandbars in the Neosho River below John Redmond Reservoir June-August - Bald eagles winter on the reservoir December-February; Bald Eagle Protection Act applies - Coffeyville Regional (CFV) Class D is ~30 NM south; Wichita Eisenhower (ICT) Class C is ~60 NM west ### Key Rules - Least tern sandbar nesting sites (June-August): USFWS closes specific sand bars to all access; drone overflight of closure areas violates ESA Section 9 - US Army Corps of Engineers manages John Redmond Reservoir; COE also restricts UAS near dam structures under the Water Resources Development Act - USFWS Special Use Permit required; least tern season permits go to USFWS Kansas Ecological Services Field Office ### Source - USFWS Flint Hills: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/flint-hills
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+ ## Drone Rules - Flint Hills NWR, Kansas + + **Drones are prohibited** under USFWS Director's Order 210. + + ### Airspace / Site Context + - Interior least tern (ESA endangered) nests on sandbars in the Neosho River below John Redmond Reservoir June-August + - Bald eagles winter on the reservoir December-February; Bald Eagle Protection Act applies + - Coffeyville Regional (CFV) Class D is ~30 NM south; Wichita Eisenhower (ICT) Class C is ~60 NM west + + ### Key Rules + - Least tern sandbar nesting sites (June-August): USFWS closes specific sand bars to all access; drone overflight of closure areas violates ESA Section 9 + - US Army Corps of Engineers manages John Redmond Reservoir; COE also restricts UAS near dam structures under the Water Resources Development Act + - USFWS Special Use Permit required; least tern season permits go to USFWS Kansas Ecological Services Field Office + + ### Source + - USFWS Flint Hills: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/flint-hills +