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Drone Rules for Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge
Vian, Oklahoma (OK)
• United States
107993 S 4520 Rd, Vian, OK 74962, USA
Lat: 35.4302 • Lng: -94.987
Rules Edit History: Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge
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May 30, 2026 8:25 AM
Approved
• Added USFWS drone prohibition for Sequoyah NWR with 6,000-white-pelican staging, FSM Class C proximity, and Army Corps Kerr Dam critical infrastructure context.
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Approved
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Your proposed edit detailing the drone prohibition at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge has been approved. This aligns with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regulations prohibiting drone operations within national wildlife refuges. The added context regarding the refuge's role as a staging area for up to 6,000 American white pelicans during September-October enhances 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Flight status | Unknown | NoFly |
| Summary | — | USFWS prohibits drones on Sequoyah NWR at the confluence of the Arkansas and Canadian Rivers. The refuge hosts one of Oklahoma's largest white pelican fall staging concentrations. |
| Mapped shapes | — | b4d2a850-fd2b-4d97-9bbc-a96bdf7dd540 |
Before
After
## Drone Rules - Sequoyah NWR, Oklahoma **Drones are prohibited** under USFWS Director's Order 210. ### Airspace / Site Context - Located at the confluence of the Arkansas River and Canadian River in eastern Oklahoma; Fort Smith Regional (FSM) Class C is ~15 NM east - Up to 6,000 American white pelicans stage on the river sandbars in September-October -- pelicans are colonial and highly sensitive to aerial disturbance - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Kerr Lock and Dam is within the refuge; dam is critical infrastructure ### Key Rules - LAANC required near FSM Class C for any flight in the Sequoyah County area - Army Corps dam structure: 500-ft no-fly buffer from the Kerr Dam applies within the refuge - USFWS Special Use Permit required; pelican research permits go to USFWS Southwest Region ### Source - USFWS Sequoyah: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/sequoyah
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+ ## Drone Rules - Sequoyah NWR, Oklahoma + + **Drones are prohibited** under USFWS Director's Order 210. + + ### Airspace / Site Context + - Located at the confluence of the Arkansas River and Canadian River in eastern Oklahoma; Fort Smith Regional (FSM) Class C is ~15 NM east + - Up to 6,000 American white pelicans stage on the river sandbars in September-October -- pelicans are colonial and highly sensitive to aerial disturbance + - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Kerr Lock and Dam is within the refuge; dam is critical infrastructure + + ### Key Rules + - LAANC required near FSM Class C for any flight in the Sequoyah County area + - Army Corps dam structure: 500-ft no-fly buffer from the Kerr Dam applies within the refuge + - USFWS Special Use Permit required; pelican research permits go to USFWS Southwest Region + + ### Source + - USFWS Sequoyah: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/sequoyah +