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Drone Rules for Kenai Fjords National Park

Seward, Alaska (AK) • United States
Seward, AK 99664, USA
Lat: 59.8487 • Lng: -150.188
Ground Not allowed Last updated: May 28, 2026
Summary
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Drone operations are strictly prohibited at Kenai Fjords National Park under NPS regulations, controlled by the National Park Service. No recreational or commercial flights are permitted without an explicit Special Use Permit from the park superintendent. The park's Harding Icefield, tidewater glaciers, and massive sea

Authorization Status

  • Recreational: ❌ 100% Banned
  • Commercial (Part 107): ❌ Not allowed without NPS Special Use Permit
  • Wilderness: ❌ Kenai Fjords Wilderness motorized equipment ban

Geographic Boundaries

Kenai Fjords National Park is located in the Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska, on the Gulf of Alaska.

  • Total area: ~669,983 acres
  • Coordinates: 59.9167° N, 150.1667° W
  • Includes Harding Icefield (~700 sq miles), 40+ glaciers, Aialik Bay, Northwestern Fjord, and Resurrection Bay
  • Home to ~200,000 seabirds nesting on coastal cliffs
  • Nearest city: Seward, AK (~12 miles from park boundary)

Regulations

  • NPS Management Policies § 8.2.2 prohibits UAS in all NPS units
  • 36 CFR § 1.5 — Superintendent's closure authority
  • 36 CFR § 2.17(a)(3) — Prohibits air delivery/retrieval within park
  • Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. § 1131) — Kenai Fjords Wilderness
  • Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA, 16 U.S.C. § 3101) — Alaska-specific NPS management provisions
  • Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. § 703) — protects horned puffin, tufted puffin, murre, and kittiwake nesting colonies
  • Marine Mammal Protection Act (16 U.S.C. § 1361) — Steller sea lion, harbor seal, and orca protections in fjord waters
  • FAA 14 CFR Part 107 governs commercial operations nationwide
  • Airspace: Class E above 1,200 ft AGL; surface Class G within park

Penalties

  • NPS fines up to $5,000 per violation
  • Wilderness Act penalties for motorized equipment violations
  • MBTA fines up to $15,000 + 6 months per seabird colony disturbance
  • MMPA violations: civil fines up to $10,000 per marine mammal
  • FAA civil penalties up to $27,500 per violation per day
  • Equipment confiscation by park rangers

Special Permissions

  • NPS Special Use Permit required
  • MBTA Scientific Collecting Permit for seabird colony research
  • MMPA Letter of Authorization for marine mammal research
  • Glaciological research with NPS + USGS approval Submit requests to: Kenai Fjords NP Superintendent, PO Box 1727, Seward, AK 99664
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