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Drone Rules for Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center
San Antonio, New Mexico (NM)
• United States
1001 NM-1, San Antonio, NM 87832, USA
Lat: 33.8045 • Lng: -106.891
Rules Edit History: Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center
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Mapped shape change
Old outline is gray. New outline is blue.
May 28, 2026 12:05 AM
Approved
• Added USFWS drone ban for Bosque del Apache NWR with sandhill crane context.
Moderation feedback
Approved
Confidence: 0.95
Your proposed edit has been approved. The updated rule now accurately reflects the prohibition of drone operations at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, emphasizing the protection of migratory bird species.
Sources
- https://www.fws.gov/media/unmanned-aircraft-systems-uas-policy — USFWS regulations under 50 CFR § 27.34, Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. § 703), Bosque del Apache Refuge Compendium, and FAA 14 CFR Part 107 ban all unauthorized drone operations within refuge boundaries.
- https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/part-107 — USFWS regulations under 50 CFR § 27.34, Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. § 703), Bosque del Apache Refuge Compendium, and FAA 14 CFR Part 107 ban all unauthorized drone operations within refuge boundaries.
- https://www.nps.gov/subjects/sound/uaspolicy.htm — USFWS regulations under 50 CFR § 27.34, Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. § 703), Bosque del Apache Refuge Compendium, and FAA 14 CFR Part 107 ban all unauthorized drone operations within refuge boundaries.
- https://faa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=9c2e4406710048e19806ebf6a06754ad — USFWS regulations under 50 CFR § 27.34, Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. § 703), Bosque del Apache Refuge Compendium, and FAA 14 CFR Part 107 ban all unauthorized drone operations within refuge boundaries.
- https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-50/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-27/section-27.34 — USFWS regulations under 50 CFR § 27.34, Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. § 703), Bosque del Apache Refuge Compendium, and FAA 14 CFR Part 107 ban all unauthorized drone operations within refuge boundaries.
- https://www.fws.gov/refuge/bosque-del-apache — USFWS regulations under 50 CFR § 27.34, Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. § 703), Bosque del Apache Refuge Compendium, and FAA 14 CFR Part 107 ban all unauthorized drone operations within refuge boundaries.
Changed fields
| Field | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Summary | Drone operations are strictly prohibited at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge under USFWS regulations, controlled by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. No recreational or commercial flights are permitted without an explicit USFWS Special Use Permit. The refuge's status as a critical migratory bird wintering hab | Drones are prohibited at Bosque del Apache NWR per USFWS regulations. Sandhill crane and snow goose migration is protected. |
Before
## Authorization Status - Recreational: ❌ 100% Banned - Commercial (Part 107): ❌ Not allowed without USFWS Special Use Permit - Seasonal: ⚠️ Migratory bird nesting/wintering periods trigger heightened enforcement (October–February) ## Geographic Boundaries Bosque del Apache NWR is located in Socorro County, New Mexico, along the Rio Grande. - Total area: ~57,331 acres - Coordinates: 33.7667° N, 106.8833° W - Includes wetland impoundments, riparian cottonwood forest, and upland desert habitats - Winters ~10,000 sandhill cranes and ~50,000 snow geese annually - Nearest city: Socorro, NM (~18 miles north) ## Regulations - USFWS Refuge UAS Policy — prohibits all UAS in National Wildlife Refuges without Special Use Permit - 50 CFR § 27.34 — USFWS motorized equipment prohibition on refuges - Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. § 703) — protects all migratory species from harassment or disturbance - Refuge-Specific Compendium — Bosque del Apache explicitly bans UAS operations year-round - FAA 14 CFR Part 107 governs commercial operations nationwide - Airspace: Class E above 700 ft AGL; surface Class G within refuge ## Penalties - USFWS fines up to $5,000 per violation under 50 CFR § 27.34 - MBTA fines up to $15,000 + 6 months imprisonment per disturbance - FAA civil penalties up to $27,500 per violation per day - Equipment confiscation by USFWS officers ## Special Permissions - USFWS Special Use Permit for scientific wildlife research - MBTA Scientific Collecting Permit for disturbance-adjacent research - Documentary/media with strict USFWS review (seasonal blackout periods October–February) Submit requests to: Bosque del Apache NWR Manager, 1001 NM-1, San Antonio, NM 87832
After
## Drone Rules - Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge **Drone use is prohibited** at Bosque del Apache NWR. ### Key Rules - No recreational drone flights within refuge boundaries - Research use requires a Special Use Permit from the refuge manager - Over 10,000 sandhill cranes and 50,000 snow geese winter here; aerial disturbance can disrupt critical feeding ### Source - FWS Refuge Regulations: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/bosque-del-apache
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- - Recreational: ❌ 100% Banned - - Commercial (Part 107): ❌ Not allowed without USFWS Special Use Permit - - Seasonal: ⚠️ Migratory bird nesting/wintering periods trigger - heightened enforcement (October–February) - Bosque del Apache NWR is located in Socorro County, New Mexico, - along the Rio Grande. - - Total area: ~57,331 acres - - Coordinates: 33.7667° N, 106.8833° W - - Includes wetland impoundments, riparian cottonwood forest, - and upland desert habitats - - Winters ~10,000 sandhill cranes and ~50,000 snow geese annually - - Nearest city: Socorro, NM (~18 miles north) - - Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. § 703) — protects all - migratory species from harassment or disturbance - - Refuge-Specific Compendium — Bosque del Apache explicitly bans - UAS operations year-round - - FAA 14 CFR Part 107 governs commercial operations nationwide - - Airspace: Class E above 700 ft AGL; surface Class G within refuge - - MBTA fines up to $15,000 + 6 months imprisonment per disturbance - - FAA civil penalties up to $27,500 per violation per day - - Equipment confiscation by USFWS officers - ## Special Permissions - - USFWS Special Use Permit for scientific wildlife research - - MBTA Scientific Collecting Permit for disturbance-adjacent research - - Documentary/media with strict USFWS review (seasonal blackout - periods October–February) - Submit requests to: Bosque del Apache NWR Manager, - 1001 NM-1, San Antonio, NM 87832
May 27, 2026 9:46 PM
Approved
• Added a complete drone restriction profile for Bosque del Apache NWR based on USFWS 50 CFR § 27.34, MBTA migratory bird protections, refuge-specific compendium, and FAA 14 CFR Part 107.
Moderation feedback
Approved
Confidence: 0.99
Your proposed edit accurately reflects the prohibition of drone operations at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge under USFWS regulations and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, as supported by official sources. The outline provided is appropriately placed around the refuge area. This edit is approved.
Sources
- https://www.fws.gov/media/unmanned-aircraft-systems-uas-policy — USFWS regulations under 50 CFR § 27.34, Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. § 703), Bosque del Apache Refuge Compendium, and FAA 14 CFR Part 107 ban all unauthorized drone operations within refuge boundaries.
- https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/part-107 — USFWS regulations under 50 CFR § 27.34, Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. § 703), Bosque del Apache Refuge Compendium, and FAA 14 CFR Part 107 ban all unauthorized drone operations within refuge boundaries.
- https://www.nps.gov/subjects/sound/uaspolicy.htm — USFWS regulations under 50 CFR § 27.34, Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. § 703), Bosque del Apache Refuge Compendium, and FAA 14 CFR Part 107 ban all unauthorized drone operations within refuge boundaries.
- https://faa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=9c2e4406710048e19806ebf6a06754ad — USFWS regulations under 50 CFR § 27.34, Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. § 703), Bosque del Apache Refuge Compendium, and FAA 14 CFR Part 107 ban all unauthorized drone operations within refuge boundaries.
- https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-50/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-27/section-27.34 — USFWS regulations under 50 CFR § 27.34, Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. § 703), Bosque del Apache Refuge Compendium, and FAA 14 CFR Part 107 ban all unauthorized drone operations within refuge boundaries.
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Mapped shape change
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| Field | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Flight status | Unknown | NoFly |
| Summary | — | Drone operations are strictly prohibited at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge under USFWS regulations, controlled by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. No recreational or commercial flights are permitted without an explicit USFWS Special Use Permit. The refuge's status as a critical migratory bird wintering hab |
| Mapped shapes | — | e2425bf7-770e-4d57-b859-14f675fb5283 |
Before
After
## Authorization Status - Recreational: ❌ 100% Banned - Commercial (Part 107): ❌ Not allowed without USFWS Special Use Permit - Seasonal: ⚠️ Migratory bird nesting/wintering periods trigger heightened enforcement (October–February) ## Geographic Boundaries Bosque del Apache NWR is located in Socorro County, New Mexico, along the Rio Grande. - Total area: ~57,331 acres - Coordinates: 33.7667° N, 106.8833° W - Includes wetland impoundments, riparian cottonwood forest, and upland desert habitats - Winters ~10,000 sandhill cranes and ~50,000 snow geese annually - Nearest city: Socorro, NM (~18 miles north) ## Regulations - USFWS Refuge UAS Policy — prohibits all UAS in National Wildlife Refuges without Special Use Permit - 50 CFR § 27.34 — USFWS motorized equipment prohibition on refuges - Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. § 703) — protects all migratory species from harassment or disturbance - Refuge-Specific Compendium — Bosque del Apache explicitly bans UAS operations year-round - FAA 14 CFR Part 107 governs commercial operations nationwide - Airspace: Class E above 700 ft AGL; surface Class G within refuge ## Penalties - USFWS fines up to $5,000 per violation under 50 CFR § 27.34 - MBTA fines up to $15,000 + 6 months imprisonment per disturbance - FAA civil penalties up to $27,500 per violation per day - Equipment confiscation by USFWS officers ## Special Permissions - USFWS Special Use Permit for scientific wildlife research - MBTA Scientific Collecting Permit for disturbance-adjacent research - Documentary/media with strict USFWS review (seasonal blackout periods October–February) Submit requests to: Bosque del Apache NWR Manager, 1001 NM-1, San Antonio, NM 87832
Show inline change markers
+ ## Authorization Status + - Recreational: ❌ 100% Banned + - Commercial (Part 107): ❌ Not allowed without USFWS Special Use Permit + - Seasonal: ⚠️ Migratory bird nesting/wintering periods trigger + heightened enforcement (October–February) + + ## Geographic Boundaries + Bosque del Apache NWR is located in Socorro County, New Mexico, + along the Rio Grande. + - Total area: ~57,331 acres + - Coordinates: 33.7667° N, 106.8833° W + - Includes wetland impoundments, riparian cottonwood forest, + and upland desert habitats + - Winters ~10,000 sandhill cranes and ~50,000 snow geese annually + - Nearest city: Socorro, NM (~18 miles north) + + ## Regulations + - USFWS Refuge UAS Policy — prohibits all UAS in National Wildlife + Refuges without Special Use Permit + - 50 CFR § 27.34 — USFWS motorized equipment prohibition on refuges + - Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. § 703) — protects all + migratory species from harassment or disturbance + - Refuge-Specific Compendium — Bosque del Apache explicitly bans + UAS operations year-round + - FAA 14 CFR Part 107 governs commercial operations nationwide + - Airspace: Class E above 700 ft AGL; surface Class G within refuge + + ## Penalties + - USFWS fines up to $5,000 per violation under 50 CFR § 27.34 + - MBTA fines up to $15,000 + 6 months imprisonment per disturbance + - FAA civil penalties up to $27,500 per violation per day + - Equipment confiscation by USFWS officers + + ## Special Permissions + - USFWS Special Use Permit for scientific wildlife research + - MBTA Scientific Collecting Permit for disturbance-adjacent research + - Documentary/media with strict USFWS review (seasonal blackout + periods October–February) + Submit requests to: Bosque del Apache NWR Manager, + 1001 NM-1, San Antonio, NM 87832