← Back to White Sands National Park

Drone Rules for White Sands National Park

New Mexico (NM) • United States
New Mexico, USA
Lat: 32.7873 • Lng: -106.326
Ground Not allowed Last updated: May 30, 2026
Summary
Edit rules/place details on map

White Sands National Park prohibits all drone operations under NPS 36 CFR 1.5 and sits within White Sands Missile Range restricted airspace, which closes US-70 for missile testing up to three times per week.

Drone Rules - White Sands National Park

All drone operations are prohibited under NPS 36 CFR 1.5. The park is completely surrounded by White Sands Missile Range, making unauthorized drone flight an immediate DoD security concern.

Airspace / Site Context

  • White Sands Regional Airport (KTCS) Class D lies ~45 miles south
  • White Sands Missile Range restricted airspace R-5107 surrounds the park
  • US-70 highway through the park closes 2-3 times per week for missile tests on the range
  • Holloman AFB (KHMN) Class D lies ~20 miles east; F-16 and T-38 operations adjacent

Key Rules

  • No drone operations within park; missile range restricted areas adjacent are equally off-limits
  • Missile test TFRs may encompass park airspace; NOTAM checks mandatory
  • White gypsum sands ecosystem is unique; Bleached earless lizard endemic species
  • Apache and other Tribal connections to the region make cultural sensitivity important

Source

Map is not loaded yet
Load the map only when you need to view the rule outline.
This shows the latest mapped outline for this rules page. Click a shape to view its note when available.
Rule sources
Parent Rule Pages