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Drone Rules for Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge
Jackson County, Mississippi (MS)
• United States
Mississippi Sandhill Crane Nat'l Wildlife Refuge, Mississippi, USA
Lat: 30.4586 • Lng: -88.7542
Rules Edit History: Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge
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May 30, 2026 7:58 AM
Approved
• Added USFWS drone prohibition for Mississippi Sandhill Crane NWR with sub-120-individual population, GPT Class C proximity, and 1-mile crane nest buffer context.
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Approved
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Your proposed edit detailing the drone prohibition at Mississippi Sandhill Crane 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 1-mile buffer around crane nests during the monitoring season 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 Mississippi Sandhill Crane NWR. The refuge exists solely to protect the critically endangered Mississippi sandhill crane (fewer than 120 individuals) from human disturbance. |
| Mapped shapes | — | ac7fc934-36f6-49e1-8d94-866252edddf7 |
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After
## Drone Rules - Mississippi Sandhill Crane NWR, Mississippi **Drones are prohibited** under USFWS Director's Order 210 and ESA Section 9 for Mississippi sandhill crane (endangered). ### Airspace / Site Context - Fewer than 120 Mississippi sandhill cranes exist; each individual bird is banded and tracked -- any drone encounter is documented as a disturbance incident - Gulfport-Biloxi International (GPT) Class C is ~10 NM south; Biloxi Regional Approach Control monitors the area - Pine savanna habitat is actively managed with prescribed fire; fire management aircraft create periodic TFRs ### Key Rules - LAANC required near GPT Class C for any flight within ~15 NM of the refuge (southern boundary) - Crane nest monitoring season (February-June): 1-mile no-fly buffer around all occupied territories (USFWS policy) - USFWS Special Use Permit required; all research involving this species requires USFWS Southeast Region Crane Recovery Coordinator approval ### Source - USFWS Mississippi Sandhill Crane NWR: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/mississippi-sandhill-crane
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+ ## Drone Rules - Mississippi Sandhill Crane NWR, Mississippi + + **Drones are prohibited** under USFWS Director's Order 210 and ESA Section 9 for Mississippi sandhill crane (endangered). + + ### Airspace / Site Context + - Fewer than 120 Mississippi sandhill cranes exist; each individual bird is banded and tracked -- any drone encounter is documented as a disturbance incident + - Gulfport-Biloxi International (GPT) Class C is ~10 NM south; Biloxi Regional Approach Control monitors the area + - Pine savanna habitat is actively managed with prescribed fire; fire management aircraft create periodic TFRs + + ### Key Rules + - LAANC required near GPT Class C for any flight within ~15 NM of the refuge (southern boundary) + - Crane nest monitoring season (February-June): 1-mile no-fly buffer around all occupied territories (USFWS policy) + - USFWS Special Use Permit required; all research involving this species requires USFWS Southeast Region Crane Recovery Coordinator approval + + ### Source + - USFWS Mississippi Sandhill Crane NWR: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/mississippi-sandhill-crane +