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Drone Rules for Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge
Mendon, Missouri (MO)
• United States
Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Mendon, MO 64660, USA
Lat: 39.6109 • Lng: -93.1856
Rules Edit History: Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge
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Mapped shape change
Old outline is gray. New outline is blue.
May 30, 2026 8:52 AM
Approved
• Added USFWS drone prohibition for Swan Lake NWR with Central Flyway staging context and Migratory Bird Treaty Act enforcement.
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Approved
Confidence: 0.99
Your proposed edit detailing the drone prohibition at Swan Lake 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 Missouri and its role as a critical staging area for migratory birds 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 | — | Swan Lake NWR prohibits all UAS operations under USFWS Director's Order 210. The refuge provides critical staging habitat for up to 400,000 geese and 100,000 ducks during fall migration along the Central Flyway. |
| Mapped shapes | — | 31c4e1f2-4bc9-4f11-b6e6-e8ece228efa0 |
Before
After
## Drone Rules - Swan Lake NWR **All drone operations are prohibited** under USFWS Director's Order 210 (2015) without a Special Use Permit. ### Airspace / Site Context - Chillicothe Airport (KCHV) uncontrolled field lies ~15 miles north - Refuge encompasses 10,795 acres including Swan Lake and Sumner Lake impoundments - Peak staging periods October-November see hundreds of thousands of waterfowl - Federally threatened Greater White-fronted Goose uses refuge during migration ### Key Rules - No UAS without USFWS Special Use Permit - Drone disturbance of staging waterfowl violates Migratory Bird Treaty Act - Fall hunting seasons make additional safety considerations mandatory - Missouri Department of Conservation concurrently manages adjacent state lands ### Source - USFWS: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/swan-lake
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+ ## Drone Rules - Swan Lake NWR + + **All drone operations are prohibited** under USFWS Director's Order 210 (2015) without a Special Use Permit. + + ### Airspace / Site Context + - Chillicothe Airport (KCHV) uncontrolled field lies ~15 miles north + - Refuge encompasses 10,795 acres including Swan Lake and Sumner Lake impoundments + - Peak staging periods October-November see hundreds of thousands of waterfowl + - Federally threatened Greater White-fronted Goose uses refuge during migration + + ### Key Rules + - No UAS without USFWS Special Use Permit + - Drone disturbance of staging waterfowl violates Migratory Bird Treaty Act + - Fall hunting seasons make additional safety considerations mandatory + - Missouri Department of Conservation concurrently manages adjacent state lands + + ### Source + - USFWS: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/swan-lake +