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Drone Rules for Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah Wilderness
Bloomfield, New Mexico (NM)
• Estados Unidos
Bloomfield, NM 87413, EUA
Lat: 36.1545 • Lng: -107.936
Rules Edit History: Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah Wilderness
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May 28, 2026 3:09 PM
Approved
• Added drone restriction profile for Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah Wilderness (BLM, est. 2019), a rare and newly designated 7,242-acre NM wilderness between Chaco Canyon and Bisti Badlands with Wilderness Act prohibition, internationally significant PRPA fossil protections, and Navajo Nation adjacency — absent from major UAS mapping platforms.
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Your proposed edit has been approved. The information about the prohibition of drone operations in Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah Wilderness is accurate and well-supported by official sources. The outline you provided appropriately matches the selected location. Thank you for your contribution.
Sources
- https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/part-107
- https://www.blm.gov/programs/national-conservation-lands/new-mexico/ah-shi-sle-pah-wilderness
- https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1510/arpa.htm
- https://www.blm.gov/visit/ah-shi-sle-pah-wilderness
- https://faa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=9c2e4406710048e19806ebf6a06754ad
- https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr2/list.jsp
- https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-43/chapter-II/part-8560
- https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-43/chapter-II/part-8360
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| Field | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Flight status | Unknown | NoFly |
| Summary | — | Drone flight is completely prohibited at Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah Wilderness under the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. § 1131) and BLM regulations (43 CFR § 8560.0-5). Established in 2019 by the John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation Act, this 7,242-acre BLM wilderness in San Juan County contains internationally significant vertebrate fossi |
| Mapped shapes | 7989ae1e-6f24-4737-a16a-d7caeb78baac | 9367e130-d17b-498e-8e30-25e8ea7676fb |
Before
After
## Authorization Status - Recreational: ❌ 100% Banned — Wilderness Act bans all motorized and mechanical equipment including UAS - Commercial (Part 107): ❌ Banned — no commercial drone permits available; BLM commercial photography permit required for non-drone use only ## Geographic Boundaries Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah Wilderness, San Juan County, New Mexico. Total area: 7,242 acres (29.31 km²) of badlands, clay hills, and sandstone cap rocks. Coordinates: 36°10'00" N, 107°55'02" W Nearest city: Bloomfield, NM (~34 miles north via US-550) Access: NM-57 (west of Nageezi) — parking along road adjacent to wilderness boundary; no trails, no services. Adjacent: Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness (southeast) and Navajo Nation (west) — tribal sovereign territory applies to adjacent lands. Airspace: Class G / Class E rural — no LAANC coverage. Established: March 12, 2019 (John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act, Pub. L. 116-9) ## Regulations - Wilderness Act, 16 U.S.C. § 1131 — UAS classified as motorized equipment; prohibited from launch, landing, or operation in designated wilderness - 43 CFR § 8560.0-5 — BLM wilderness area management - 43 CFR § 8360.0-7 — BLM prohibited acts on public lands - Paleontological Resources Preservation Act (PRPA), 16 U.S.C. § 470aaa — internationally significant vertebrate fossil deposits including Fruitland Formation and Kirtland Formation specimens; fossil collecting prohibited without federal permit; drone disturbance of sites is a violation - Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA), 16 U.S.C. § 470aa — cultural sites present - Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), 16 U.S.C. § 703 — raptor nesting habitat; drone harassment is a federal offense - John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation Act, Pub. L. 116-9 (2019) — authorizing statute establishing the wilderness designation ## Penalties - BLM fines up to $1,000 per violation under 43 CFR § 8360.0-7 - PRPA penalties up to $10,000 + imprisonment for fossil site disturbance - ARPA penalties up to $20,000 + 2 years imprisonment - MBTA penalties up to $15,000 + 6 months imprisonment - FAA civil penalties up to $27,500 per violation per day - Criminal prosecution under 18 U.S.C. § 32 for willful airspace violations - Equipment confiscation by BLM Farmington Field Office rangers ## Special Permissions No recreational drone permits available. Commercial non-drone photography permit: Submit requests to: BLM Farmington Field Office, 6251 College Blvd., Suite A, Farmington, NM 87402 Phone: (505) 564-7600
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+ ## Authorization Status + - Recreational: ❌ 100% Banned — Wilderness Act bans all motorized + and mechanical equipment including UAS + - Commercial (Part 107): ❌ Banned — no commercial drone permits + available; BLM commercial photography permit required for + non-drone use only + + ## Geographic Boundaries + Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah Wilderness, San Juan County, New Mexico. + Total area: 7,242 acres (29.31 km²) of badlands, clay hills, + and sandstone cap rocks. + Coordinates: 36°10'00" N, 107°55'02" W + Nearest city: Bloomfield, NM (~34 miles north via US-550) + Access: NM-57 (west of Nageezi) — parking along road adjacent + to wilderness boundary; no trails, no services. + Adjacent: Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness (southeast) and + Navajo Nation (west) — tribal sovereign territory applies + to adjacent lands. + Airspace: Class G / Class E rural — no LAANC coverage. + Established: March 12, 2019 (John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation, + Management, and Recreation Act, Pub. L. 116-9) + + ## Regulations + - Wilderness Act, 16 U.S.C. § 1131 — UAS classified as + motorized equipment; prohibited from launch, landing, + or operation in designated wilderness + - 43 CFR § 8560.0-5 — BLM wilderness area management + - 43 CFR § 8360.0-7 — BLM prohibited acts on public lands + - Paleontological Resources Preservation Act (PRPA), + 16 U.S.C. § 470aaa — internationally significant vertebrate + fossil deposits including Fruitland Formation and Kirtland + Formation specimens; fossil collecting prohibited without + federal permit; drone disturbance of sites is a violation + - Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA), + 16 U.S.C. § 470aa — cultural sites present + - Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), 16 U.S.C. § 703 — + raptor nesting habitat; drone harassment is a federal offense + - John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation Act, Pub. L. 116-9 (2019) — + authorizing statute establishing the wilderness designation + + ## Penalties + - BLM fines up to $1,000 per violation under 43 CFR § 8360.0-7 + - PRPA penalties up to $10,000 + imprisonment for fossil + site disturbance + - ARPA penalties up to $20,000 + 2 years imprisonment + - MBTA penalties up to $15,000 + 6 months imprisonment + - FAA civil penalties up to $27,500 per violation per day + - Criminal prosecution under 18 U.S.C. § 32 for willful + airspace violations + - Equipment confiscation by BLM Farmington Field Office rangers + + ## Special Permissions + No recreational drone permits available. Commercial non-drone + photography permit: + + Submit requests to: BLM Farmington Field Office, + 6251 College Blvd., Suite A, Farmington, NM 87402 + Phone: (505) 564-7600