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Drone Rules for Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center
Rodanthe, North Carolina (NC)
• United States
14500 North Carolina Hwy 12, Rodanthe, NC 27968, USA
Lat: 35.7168 • Lng: -75.4938
Rules Edit History: Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center
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May 30, 2026 7:31 AM
Approved
• Added USFWS drone prohibition for Pea Island NWR with piping plover nesting, October hawk migration count disruption, and NPS Hatteras Seashore boundary context.
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Approved
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Your proposed edit detailing drone regulations at Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, including the USFWS prohibition, piping plover nesting, October hawk migration count disruption, and NPS Cape Hatteras National Seashore boundary context, has been approved. This aligns with USFWS regulations prohibiting drone operations within the refuge. The added context 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 Pea Island NWR on the Outer Banks. The refuge is a critical fall hawk migration corridor and the last stronghold for the piping plover on the southern Outer Banks. |
| Mapped shapes | — | e21c93bf-73b4-4be2-b6b3-3ae5a61d47d5 |
Before
After
## Drone Rules - Pea Island NWR, North Carolina **Drones are prohibited** under USFWS Director's Order 210. ### Airspace / Site Context - Located on Hatteras Island; Dare County Regional (MQI) Class D is ~25 NM north near Manteo - The refuge spans the full width of the barrier island; ocean-to-sound width is only 0.25 miles in places -- drone coverage is unavoidable - Sharp-shinned hawks, merlins, and peregrine falcons funnel through the refuge in October; drone presence disrupts hawk counts used for population monitoring ### Key Rules - Piping plover nesting closures (April-August): the entire Atlantic beach is closed; drone overflight of the closure zone triggers ESA concern - NPS Cape Hatteras National Seashore management area surrounds the refuge; NPS no-fly applies outside refuge boundary - USFWS Special Use Permit required for research or film; hawk migration season permits are rarely granted ### Source - USFWS Pea Island: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/pea-island
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+ ## Drone Rules - Pea Island NWR, North Carolina + + **Drones are prohibited** under USFWS Director's Order 210. + + ### Airspace / Site Context + - Located on Hatteras Island; Dare County Regional (MQI) Class D is ~25 NM north near Manteo + - The refuge spans the full width of the barrier island; ocean-to-sound width is only 0.25 miles in places -- drone coverage is unavoidable + - Sharp-shinned hawks, merlins, and peregrine falcons funnel through the refuge in October; drone presence disrupts hawk counts used for population monitoring + + ### Key Rules + - Piping plover nesting closures (April-August): the entire Atlantic beach is closed; drone overflight of the closure zone triggers ESA concern + - NPS Cape Hatteras National Seashore management area surrounds the refuge; NPS no-fly applies outside refuge boundary + - USFWS Special Use Permit required for research or film; hawk migration season permits are rarely granted + + ### Source + - USFWS Pea Island: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/pea-island +