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Drone Rules for Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge

Alamillo, New Mexico (nm) • United States
La Joya, NM 87028, USA
Lat: 34.3417 • Lng: -106.973
Ground Not allowed Last updated: May 27, 2026
Summary
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Drone operations are strictly prohibited at Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge under U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service regulations, controlled by USFWS. No recreational or commercial flights are permitted without an explicit Special Use Permit from the refuge manager. Sevilleta is one of the few National Wildlife Refuges in

Authorization Status

  • Recreational: ❌ 100% Banned
  • Commercial (Part 107): ❌ Not allowed without USFWS Special Use Permit
  • Research Layer: ⚠️ NSF Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) site — uncoordinated flights compromise active scientific datasets
  • Wildlife Layer: ⚠️ MBTA protections — pronghorn, mule deer, and raptor corridors

Geographic Boundaries

Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge is located in Socorro County, New Mexico, administered by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

  • Total area: ~229,673 acres
  • Coordinates: 34.3590° N, 106.8900° W
  • Nearest city: Socorro, NM (~10 miles south)
  • Terrain: five major biomes converge — Great Plains grassland, Chihuahuan Desert, Great Basin shrub-steppe, Colorado Plateau shrubland, and Mogollon Transition Zone
  • NSF LTER designation since 1988 (one of 28 LTER sites in the U.S. network)
  • Refuge closed to general public; access by permit or escorted research only
  • Rio Grande corridor bisects the eastern boundary
  • Airspace: Class E above 700 ft AGL; surface Class G

Regulations

  • 50 CFR § 27.34 — Prohibits use of aircraft and drones within National Wildlife Refuges
  • USFWS UAS Policy — blanket prohibition on all unmanned aircraft within refuge boundaries
  • Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. § 703) — protects all migratory species; refuge hosts 200+ bird species including zone-tailed hawk and Swainson's hawk
  • Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (16 U.S.C. § 668) — golden eagle presence
  • Wild & Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. § 1271) — Rio Grande corridor protection
  • NSF LTER research integrity protocols restrict uncoordinated aerial intrusions
  • FAA 14 CFR Part 107 governs commercial operations nationwide

Penalties

  • USFWS fines up to $5,000 per violation under 50 CFR § 27.34
  • MBTA criminal penalties: fines up to $15,000 + 6 months imprisonment per incident
  • BGEPA violations: fines up to $100,000 + 2 years imprisonment (second offense)
  • FAA civil penalties up to $27,500 per violation per day
  • Criminal prosecution under 18 U.S.C. § 32 for willful violations
  • Equipment confiscation by USFWS refuge officers

Special Permissions

  • USFWS Special Use Permit required; refuge staff will coordinate with UNM LTER program to ensure data integrity is not compromised
  • NSF LTER program coordination required for any ecological survey flights
  • All permitted access must be escorted by refuge or LTER program staff Submit requests to: Sevilleta NWR Refuge Manager, PO Box 1248, Socorro, NM 87801 LTER coordination: UNM Sevilleta LTER Program, Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131
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Rule sources
  • https://www.fws.gov/media/unmanned-aircraft-systems-uas-policy — USFWS regulations under 50 CFR § 27.34, MBTA migratory bird protections (16 U.S.C. § 703), BGEPA golden eagle protections (16 U.S.C. § 668), and NSF LTER research integrity protocols ban all unauthorized drone operations within Sevilleta NWR, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
  • https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/part-107 — USFWS regulations under 50 CFR § 27.34, MBTA migratory bird protections (16 U.S.C. § 703), BGEPA golden eagle protections (16 U.S.C. § 668), and NSF LTER research integrity protocols ban all unauthorized drone operations within Sevilleta NWR, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
  • https://www.nps.gov/subjects/sound/uaspolicy.htm — USFWS regulations under 50 CFR § 27.34, MBTA migratory bird protections (16 U.S.C. § 703), BGEPA golden eagle protections (16 U.S.C. § 668), and NSF LTER research integrity protocols ban all unauthorized drone operations within Sevilleta NWR, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
  • https://faa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=9c2e4406710048e19806ebf6a06754ad — USFWS regulations under 50 CFR § 27.34, MBTA migratory bird protections (16 U.S.C. § 703), BGEPA golden eagle protections (16 U.S.C. § 668), and NSF LTER research integrity protocols ban all unauthorized drone operations within Sevilleta NWR, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
  • https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-50/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-27/section-27.34 — USFWS regulations under 50 CFR § 27.34, MBTA migratory bird protections (16 U.S.C. § 703), BGEPA golden eagle protections (16 U.S.C. § 668), and NSF LTER research integrity protocols ban all unauthorized drone operations within Sevilleta NWR, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
Parent Rule Pages