← Back to Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge

Drone Rules for Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge

Las Vegas, New Mexico (NM) • Estados Unidos
Las Vegas, NM 87701, EUA
Lat: 35.5328 • Lng: -105.169
Ground Not allowed Last updated: May 28, 2026
Summary
Edit rules/place details on map

Drone operations are strictly prohibited at Las Vegas 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. Las Vegas NWR sits at the confluence of the Sangre de Cr

Authorization Status

  • Recreational: ❌ 100% Banned
  • Commercial (Part 107): ❌ Not allowed without USFWS Special Use Permit
  • Wildlife Layer: ⚠️ MBTA + BGEPA active — 25,000+ peak migration; wintering bald eagle concentration
  • Proximity Note: ⚠️ Fort Union National Monument ~25 miles northeast — verify permit coordination if operating near refuge-monument corridor

Geographic Boundaries

Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge is located in San Miguel County, New Mexico, administered by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

  • Total area: ~8,672 acres
  • Coordinates: 35.5700° N, 105.2100° W
  • Nearest city: Las Vegas, NM (~4 miles southeast)
  • Terrain: three managed marsh impoundments, Gallinas River floodplain, shortgrass prairie uplands, riparian cottonwood corridors, farmland
  • Peak waterfowl: 25,000+ ducks and geese during fall migration (September–November); snow geese, pintail, mallard, teal dominant
  • Sandhill crane staging: 3,000–5,000 birds October–November
  • Wintering bald eagle: 10–20 individuals documented December–February
  • Ferruginous hawk and prairie falcon winter presence documented
  • Lesser prairie chicken (ESA threatened) — occasional upland sightings on eastern refuge units
  • Airspace: Class E above 700 ft AGL; surface Class G within refuge

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) — 25,000+ waterfowl; shorebird and raptor migration; drone harassment = federal offense
  • Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (16 U.S.C. § 668) — wintering bald eagle and golden eagle; any disturbance = federal violation
  • Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. § 1531) Section 9 — lesser prairie chicken occasional presence; ESA Section 9 take prohibition applies during March–June lekking season on upland units
  • New Mexico Department of Game and Fish NMAC 19.31 — concurrent state wildlife harassment layer
  • 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 disturbance incident
  • BGEPA violations: fines up to $100,000 + 2 years imprisonment (second offense) for eagle disturbance
  • ESA Section 9 (lesser prairie chicken): civil penalties up to $25,000; criminal penalties up to $50,000 + 1 year imprisonment
  • NMDGF harassment: up to $1,000 per violation under NMAC 19.31
  • 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; ESA Section 7 biological assessment required for upland unit permits during March–June
  • MBTA scientific banding/research permit required for waterfowl or raptor survey operations
  • All permitted operations must be coordinated with refuge biologist to avoid eagle disturbance windows (December–February) Submit requests to: Las Vegas NWR Refuge Manager, Route 1 Box 399, Las Vegas, NM 87701
Map is not loaded yet
Load the map only when you need to view the rule outline.
This shows the latest mapped outline for this rules page. Click a shape to view its note when available.
Rule sources
  • https://www.fws.gov/media/unmanned-aircraft-systems-uas-policy — USFWS regulations under 50 CFR § 27.34, MBTA waterfowl and raptor migration protections (16 U.S.C. § 703), BGEPA wintering eagle protections (16 U.S.C. § 668), ESA Section 9 lesser prairie chicken take prohibition (16 U.S.C. § 1531), and NMDGF NMAC 19.31 ban all unauthorized drone operations at Las Vegas 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 waterfowl and raptor migration protections (16 U.S.C. § 703), BGEPA wintering eagle protections (16 U.S.C. § 668), ESA Section 9 lesser prairie chicken take prohibition (16 U.S.C. § 1531), and NMDGF NMAC 19.31 ban all unauthorized drone operations at Las Vegas 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 waterfowl and raptor migration protections (16 U.S.C. § 703), BGEPA wintering eagle protections (16 U.S.C. § 668), ESA Section 9 lesser prairie chicken take prohibition (16 U.S.C. § 1531), and NMDGF NMAC 19.31 ban all unauthorized drone operations at Las Vegas 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 waterfowl and raptor migration protections (16 U.S.C. § 703), BGEPA wintering eagle protections (16 U.S.C. § 668), ESA Section 9 lesser prairie chicken take prohibition (16 U.S.C. § 1531), and NMDGF NMAC 19.31 ban all unauthorized drone operations at Las Vegas NWR, supported by FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
Parent Rule Pages