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Drone Rules for El Malpais
Grants, New Mexico (nm)
• United States
El Malpais, New Mexico 87020, USA
Lat: 34.7617 • Lng: -107.956
Rules Edit History: El Malpais
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Mapped shape change
Old outline is gray. New outline is blue.
May 27, 2026 9:22 PM
Approved
• Added a complete drone restriction profile for El Malpais National Monument based on NPS 36 CFR § 1.5, § 2.17(a)(3), Wilderness Act protections, and FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
Moderation feedback
Approved
Confidence: 0.99
Your proposed edit accurately reflects the prohibition of drone operations at El Malpais National Monument under National Park Service regulations, as supported by official sources. The outline provided is appropriately placed around the monument area. This edit is approved.
Sources
- https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-36/chapter-I/part-2/section-2.17 — NPS regulations under 36 CFR § 2.17(a)(3), the El Malpais Superintendent's Compendium, and Wilderness Act protections ban all drone operations within monument boundaries, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
- https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/part-107 — NPS regulations under 36 CFR § 2.17(a)(3), the El Malpais Superintendent's Compendium, and Wilderness Act protections ban all drone operations within monument boundaries, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
- https://www.nps.gov/subjects/sound/uaspolicy.htm — NPS regulations under 36 CFR § 2.17(a)(3), the El Malpais Superintendent's Compendium, and Wilderness Act protections ban all drone operations within monument boundaries, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
- https://www.nps.gov/elma/index.htm — NPS regulations under 36 CFR § 2.17(a)(3), the El Malpais Superintendent's Compendium, and Wilderness Act protections ban all drone operations within monument boundaries, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
- https://www.faa.gov/uas/recreational_fliers/where_can_i_fly/b4ufly — NPS regulations under 36 CFR § 2.17(a)(3), the El Malpais Superintendent's Compendium, and Wilderness Act protections ban all drone operations within monument boundaries, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
- https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-36/chapter-I/part-1/section-1.5 — NPS regulations under 36 CFR § 2.17(a)(3), the El Malpais Superintendent's Compendium, and Wilderness Act protections ban all drone operations within monument boundaries, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
Changed fields
Mapped shape change
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| Field | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Flight status | Unknown | NoFly |
| Summary | — | Drone operations are strictly prohibited at El Malpais 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. |
| Mapped shapes | — | 193d35d6-149f-4f1e-bec0-2dcf7facc748 |
Before
After
## Authorization Status - Recreational: ❌ 100% Banned - Commercial (Part 107): ❌ Not allowed without NPS Special Use Permit ## Geographic Boundaries El Malpais National Monument is located in Cibola County, New Mexico, southwest of Albuquerque. - Total area: ~114,276 acres - Coordinates: 34.9833° N, 107.9833° W - Includes lava flows, cinder cones, ice caves, and sandstone bluffs - Adjacent to El Malpais National Conservation Area (BLM managed) - Nearest city: Grants, NM (~10 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 - Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. § 1131) — Cebolla Wilderness and other designated wilderness areas within monument - FAA 14 CFR Part 107 governs commercial operations nationwide - Airspace: Class E above 700 ft AGL; surface Class G within monument ## Penalties - NPS fines up to $5,000 per violation - Wilderness Act penalties for motorized equipment in wilderness zones - FAA civil penalties up to $27,500 per violation per day - Equipment confiscation by park rangers ## Special Permissions - Scientific/geological research with NPS-approved research permit - Official NPS resource management only - Emergency SAR (NPS-coordinated only) Submit requests to: El Malpais NM Superintendent, 1900 E Santa Fe Ave, Grants, NM 87020
Show inline change markers
+ ## Authorization Status + - Recreational: ❌ 100% Banned + - Commercial (Part 107): ❌ Not allowed without NPS Special Use Permit + + ## Geographic Boundaries + El Malpais National Monument is located in Cibola County, New Mexico, + southwest of Albuquerque. + - Total area: ~114,276 acres + - Coordinates: 34.9833° N, 107.9833° W + - Includes lava flows, cinder cones, ice caves, and sandstone bluffs + - Adjacent to El Malpais National Conservation Area (BLM managed) + - Nearest city: Grants, NM (~10 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 + - Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. § 1131) — Cebolla Wilderness and other + designated wilderness areas within monument + - FAA 14 CFR Part 107 governs commercial operations nationwide + - Airspace: Class E above 700 ft AGL; surface Class G within monument + + ## Penalties + - NPS fines up to $5,000 per violation + - Wilderness Act penalties for motorized equipment in wilderness zones + - FAA civil penalties up to $27,500 per violation per day + - Equipment confiscation by park rangers + + ## Special Permissions + - Scientific/geological research with NPS-approved research permit + - Official NPS resource management only + - Emergency SAR (NPS-coordinated only) + Submit requests to: El Malpais NM Superintendent, + 1900 E Santa Fe Ave, Grants, NM 87020