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Drone Rules for Malheur National Forest
Grant County, Oregon (OR)
• United States
Malheur National Forest, Oregon, USA
Lat: 44.1215 • Lng: -118.839
Rules Edit History: Malheur National Forest
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May 30, 2026 6:26 AM
Approved
• Added USFS drone advisory for Malheur NF with Strawberry Mountain Wilderness, sage-grouse lek disturbance, and high-desert offline map requirement context.
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Approved
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Your proposed edit detailing drone regulations in Malheur National Forest, including the prohibition of drone operations in Strawberry Mountain Wilderness, the presence of sage-grouse lek sites, and the need for offline map preparation due to lack of cell service, has been approved. This aligns with the U.S. Forest Service's guidelines that prohibit drone operations in designated Wilderness Areas and areas with sensitive wildlife. The added context about the forest's remote location and the necessity for offline map preparation 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 Malheur NF in southeastern Oregon is remote high-desert forest. Strawberry Mountain Wilderness bans drones; the isolation means operator self-rescue in case of crash is a real safety concern. |
| Mapped shapes | — | 9f77ca4a-cb2a-401c-8ea8-f4b5e4f0e173 |
Before
After
## Drone Rules - Malheur NF, Oregon **Strawberry Mountain Wilderness (68,700 acres)** bans drones; isolation and lack of cell coverage require pre-flight offline map loading. ### Airspace / Site Context - Located in Grant County, Oregon; John Day is the nearest town (30 NM west) - John Day Airport (JDA) Class G; Burns Municipal (BNO) is ~50 NM south - High-desert weather: afternoon thunderstorms July-August and winter icing from October onward ### Key Rules - Download offline USFS boundary maps -- no cell service in Strawberry Mountain area - USFS Special Use Permit required for commercial photography - Sage-grouse lek sites are present in the forest; spring flights (March-May) near lek areas disturb breeding displays ### Source - USFS Malheur: https://www.fs.usda.gov/malheur
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+ ## Drone Rules - Malheur NF, Oregon + + **Strawberry Mountain Wilderness (68,700 acres)** bans drones; isolation and lack of cell coverage require pre-flight offline map loading. + + ### Airspace / Site Context + - Located in Grant County, Oregon; John Day is the nearest town (30 NM west) + - John Day Airport (JDA) Class G; Burns Municipal (BNO) is ~50 NM south + - High-desert weather: afternoon thunderstorms July-August and winter icing from October onward + + ### Key Rules + - Download offline USFS boundary maps -- no cell service in Strawberry Mountain area + - USFS Special Use Permit required for commercial photography + - Sage-grouse lek sites are present in the forest; spring flights (March-May) near lek areas disturb breeding displays + + ### Source + - USFS Malheur: https://www.fs.usda.gov/malheur +