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Drone Rules for Lincoln National Forest
Otero County, New Mexico (NM)
• United States
Lincoln National Forest, New Mexico 88347, USA
Lat: 32.8001 • Lng: -105.634
Rules Edit History: Lincoln National Forest
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May 30, 2026 6:03 AM
Approved
• Added USFS drone advisory for Lincoln NF with WSMR R-5107 restricted area, Holloman AFB, and Mescalero Apache tribal airspace context.
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Approved
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Your proposed edit detailing drone regulations in Lincoln National Forest has been approved. This aligns with the U.S. Forest Service's guidelines that prohibit drone operations in designated Wilderness Areas and require a Special Use Permit for commercial activities. The added context about the proximity to White Sands Missile Range R-5107 restricted area, Holloman AFB airspace, and Mescalero Apache tribal airspace enhances the 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Summary | — | USFS Lincoln NF contains the White Mountain Wilderness and White Sands Missile Range R-5107 restricted area borders the western edge. Holloman AFB Class D airspace overlaps the western portions. |
| Mapped shapes | — | 023e823f-8fad-4c81-93f4-78c9b49e940b |
Before
After
## Drone Rules - Lincoln NF, New Mexico **White Mountain Wilderness (48,873 acres)** bans drones; White Sands Missile Range R-5107 and Holloman AFB airspace are active threats to the west. ### Airspace / Site Context - Holloman AFB (HMN) Class D is ~20 NM west of Cloudcroft; R-5107 (WSMR) can extend to FL180 and is activated frequently - Cloudcroft area (8,650 ft MSL) -- high-altitude density altitude; plan battery life accordingly - Sacramento Mountains and Mescalero Apache Reservation border the forest to the east and south -- tribal airspace rules apply on reservation land ### Key Rules - Check WSMR R-5107 activation status via FAA TFR viewer before every flight in the Sacramento Ranger District - Mescalero Apache Reservation: tribal government requires prior approval for any flight over reservation land - USFS Special Use Permit required for commercial work in the forest ### Source - USFS Lincoln: https://www.fs.usda.gov/lincoln
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+ ## Drone Rules - Lincoln NF, New Mexico + + **White Mountain Wilderness (48,873 acres)** bans drones; White Sands Missile Range R-5107 and Holloman AFB airspace are active threats to the west. + + ### Airspace / Site Context + - Holloman AFB (HMN) Class D is ~20 NM west of Cloudcroft; R-5107 (WSMR) can extend to FL180 and is activated frequently + - Cloudcroft area (8,650 ft MSL) -- high-altitude density altitude; plan battery life accordingly + - Sacramento Mountains and Mescalero Apache Reservation border the forest to the east and south -- tribal airspace rules apply on reservation land + + ### Key Rules + - Check WSMR R-5107 activation status via FAA TFR viewer before every flight in the Sacramento Ranger District + - Mescalero Apache Reservation: tribal government requires prior approval for any flight over reservation land + - USFS Special Use Permit required for commercial work in the forest + + ### Source + - USFS Lincoln: https://www.fs.usda.gov/lincoln +