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Drone Rules for Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument

Crow Agency, Montana (MT) • Estados Unidos
Battlefield Tour Rd, Crow Agency, MT 59022, EUA
Lat: 45.5658 • Lng: -107.427
Ground Not allowed Last updated: May 28, 2026
Summary
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Drone operations are strictly prohibited at Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument under NPS regulations, controlled by the National Park Service. No recreational or commercial flights are permitted without an explicit Special Use Permit from the park superintendent. Located entirely within the Crow Indian Reserv

Authorization Status

  • Recreational: ❌ 100% Banned
  • Commercial (Part 107): ❌ Not allowed without NPS Special Use Permit
  • Tribal land: ⚠️ Crow Indian Reservation — tribal sovereignty overlay
  • NHL: ⚠️ National Historic Landmark — strictest heritage protections

Geographic Boundaries

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument is located in Big Horn County, Montana, entirely within the Crow Indian Reservation.

  • Total area: ~765 acres
  • Coordinates: 45.5675° N, 107.4272° W
  • Includes Last Stand Hill, Custer National Cemetery, Indian Memorial, and Deep Ravine Trail
  • Entirely surrounded by Crow Indian Reservation lands
  • Nearest city: Hardin, MT (~15 miles north)

Regulations

  • NPS Management Policies § 8.2.2 prohibits UAS in all NPS units
  • 36 CFR § 1.5 — Superintendent's closure authority
  • 36 CFR § 2.17(a)(3) — Prohibits air delivery/retrieval within park
  • National Historic Preservation Act (54 U.S.C. § 300101) — National Historic Landmark protections
  • Archaeological Resources Protection Act (16 U.S.C. § 470aa) — battlefield archaeological resources
  • Crow Tribal sovereignty — monument surrounded by Crow Nation lands; tribal regulations apply to adjacent airspace
  • Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. § 3001) — warrior remains and sacred items
  • FAA 14 CFR Part 107 governs commercial operations nationwide
  • Airspace: Class G; no controlled airspace over monument

Penalties

  • NPS fines up to $5,000 per violation
  • ARPA: fines up to $20,000 + 2 years imprisonment
  • NAGPRA violations: fines up to $100,000 + criminal prosecution
  • Crow Tribal court penalties for reservation airspace violations
  • FAA civil penalties up to $27,500 per violation per day
  • Equipment confiscation by NPS rangers and/or Crow Tribal police

Special Permissions

  • NPS Special Use Permit required
  • Crow Nation tribal consultation mandatory for any operations
  • ARPA + NAGPRA permits for archaeological research
  • Documentary work subject to Crow Nation cultural review Submit requests to: Little Bighorn Battlefield NM Superintendent, 756 Battlefield Tour Road, Crow Agency, MT 59022
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Rule sources
  • https://www.nps.gov/libi/planyourvisit/unmanned-aircraft.htm — NPS Policy Memorandum 14-05 and 36 CFR § 1.5 prohibit all drone operations within Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. ARPA, NHPA National Historic Landmark status, NAGPRA warrior remains protections, and Crow Nation tribal sovereignty add multi-layer federal and tribal restrictions.
Parent Rule Pages