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Drone Rules for Wind Cave National Park
Custer County, South Dakota (SD)
• United States
South Dakota, USA
Lat: 43.5724 • Lng: -103.442
Rules Edit History: Wind Cave National Park
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May 30, 2026 12:07 PM
Approved
• Added NPS 36 CFR 1.5 drone prohibition for Wind Cave NP with bison stampede drone risk, black-footed ferret ESA, cave entrance airflow sensitivity, and SD state law.
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Approved
Confidence: 0.99
Your proposed edit detailing the drone prohibition at Wind Cave National Park has been approved. This aligns with National Park Service regulations, which prohibit the use of unmanned aircraft in the park to protect public safety, minimize visitor-use conflicts, and prevent unacceptable impacts to scenic values, natural soundscapes, and wildlife. The added context regarding the park's unique features 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Summary | Drone operations are strictly prohibited at Wind Cave National Park under NPS regulations. No recreational or commercial flights are permitted without an explicit Special Use Permit. One of the world's longest and most complex caves, Wind Cave protects the rarest cave formation type on Earth — boxwork — and the first U | Wind Cave National Park prohibits all drone operations under NPS 36 CFR 1.5. The park contains one of the longest and most complex caves in the world, and surface grasslands support a free-ranging bison herd of 300-400 animals. |
| Mapped shapes | bb469840-4171-4af9-83b6-8bc4a78493cc | fdbb6df4-279a-4dbb-aff3-e07f84fdbba5 |
Before
## Authorization Status - Recreational: ❌ 100% Banned - Commercial (Part 107): ❌ Not allowed without NPS Special Use Permit - CRPA: ⚠️ World's densest boxwork formations — rarest cave type ## Geographic Boundaries Wind Cave National Park is located in Custer and Fall River Counties, South Dakota, in the Black Hills. - Total area: ~33,851 acres - Coordinates: 43.5569° N, 103.4785° W - Includes Wind Cave (over 150 miles mapped — 6th longest in world), boxwork formations, and mixed-grass prairie above - Free-roaming bison, elk, pronghorn, and prairie dog herds - Nearest city: Hot Springs, SD (~11 miles south) ## 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 - Cave Resources Protection Act (16 U.S.C. § 4301) — boxwork and rare cave formation protections - MBTA (16 U.S.C. § 703) — raptor nesting in Black Hills - FAA 14 CFR Part 107 governs commercial operations - Airspace: Class G; no controlled airspace over park ## Penalties - NPS fines up to $5,000 per violation - CRPA: fines up to $10,000 + imprisonment for cave disturbance - MBTA: fines up to $15,000 + 6 months per raptor disturbance - FAA civil penalties up to $27,500 per violation per day - Equipment confiscation by park rangers ## Special Permissions - NPS Special Use Permit required - Cave research: CRPA federal authorization required Submit requests to: Wind Cave NP Superintendent, 26611 US-385, Hot Springs, SD 57747
After
## Drone Rules - Wind Cave National Park **All drone operations are prohibited** under NPS 36 CFR 1.5. Bison herd disturbance from drone overflights triggers dangerous stampedes in this enclosed park ecosystem. ### Airspace / Site Context - Hot Springs Airport (KHSR) Class G uncontrolled ~10 miles south - Rapid City Regional (KRAP) Class C lies ~55 miles NW - Park is adjacent to Custer State Park; combined bison herds total 1,000+ animals - Black Hills National Forest surrounds the park; USFS drone rules apply outside ### Key Rules - No drone operations within park; bison stampede risk from overhead drones is documented - Cave entrance airflow is sensitive to surface disturbance; drones at the natural entrance prohibited - Black-footed ferret (ESA endangered) may use grassland areas - South Dakota state law prohibits UAS over state and national park units ### Source - NPS Wind Cave: https://www.nps.gov/wica
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- - CRPA: ⚠️ World's densest boxwork formations — rarest cave type - - Includes Wind Cave (over 150 miles mapped — 6th longest in world), - boxwork formations, and mixed-grass prairie above - - Free-roaming bison, elk, pronghorn, and prairie dog herds - - Nearest city: Hot Springs, SD (~11 miles south) - and rare cave formation protections - - MBTA (16 U.S.C. § 703) — raptor nesting in Black Hills - - FAA 14 CFR Part 107 governs commercial operations - - Airspace: Class G; no controlled airspace over park - - CRPA: fines up to $10,000 + imprisonment for cave disturbance - - MBTA: fines up to $15,000 + 6 months per raptor disturbance - - FAA civil penalties up to $27,500 per violation per day - - Equipment confiscation by park rangers - ## Special Permissions - - NPS Special Use Permit required - - Cave research: CRPA federal authorization required - Submit requests to: Wind Cave NP Superintendent, - 26611 US-385, Hot Springs, SD 57747
May 29, 2026 1:38 AM
Approved
• Added drone restriction profile for Wind Cave National Park based on NPS Policy Memorandum 14-05, 36 CFR § 1.5, Cave Resources Protection Act boxwork formation protections, and MBTA raptor nesting in Black Hills region.
Moderation feedback
Approved
Confidence: 0.99
Your proposed edit has been approved. The information is accurate and well-supported by official sources, and the outline appropriately matches the selected location. Thank you for your contribution.
Sources
- https://www.nps.gov/subjects/sound/uas.htm
- https://www.nps.gov/wica/planyourvisit/unmanned-aircraft.htm — NPS Policy Memorandum 14-05 and 36 CFR § 1.5 prohibit all drone operations. Cave Resources Protection Act boxwork and rare cave formation protections add federal restriction layers.
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| Field | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Flight status | Permission | NoFly |
| Summary | United States National Parks are restricted from taking off, landing, or controlling a drone within the park to those with permission. Which is rare to receive. | Drone operations are strictly prohibited at Wind Cave National Park under NPS regulations. No recreational or commercial flights are permitted without an explicit Special Use Permit. One of the world's longest and most complex caves, Wind Cave protects the rarest cave formation type on Earth — boxwork — and the first U |
Before
## This action applies to the launching, landing, and operation of uncrewed aircraft on lands and waters administered by the NPS. Jurisdiction by the NPS ends at the park boundary. The policy memorandum does not modify any requirement imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the use or operation of uncrewed aircraft in the National Airspace System. https://www.nps.gov/articles/uncrewed-aircraft-in-the-national-parks.htm
After
## Authorization Status - Recreational: ❌ 100% Banned - Commercial (Part 107): ❌ Not allowed without NPS Special Use Permit - CRPA: ⚠️ World's densest boxwork formations — rarest cave type ## Geographic Boundaries Wind Cave National Park is located in Custer and Fall River Counties, South Dakota, in the Black Hills. - Total area: ~33,851 acres - Coordinates: 43.5569° N, 103.4785° W - Includes Wind Cave (over 150 miles mapped — 6th longest in world), boxwork formations, and mixed-grass prairie above - Free-roaming bison, elk, pronghorn, and prairie dog herds - Nearest city: Hot Springs, SD (~11 miles south) ## 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 - Cave Resources Protection Act (16 U.S.C. § 4301) — boxwork and rare cave formation protections - MBTA (16 U.S.C. § 703) — raptor nesting in Black Hills - FAA 14 CFR Part 107 governs commercial operations - Airspace: Class G; no controlled airspace over park ## Penalties - NPS fines up to $5,000 per violation - CRPA: fines up to $10,000 + imprisonment for cave disturbance - MBTA: fines up to $15,000 + 6 months per raptor disturbance - FAA civil penalties up to $27,500 per violation per day - Equipment confiscation by park rangers ## Special Permissions - NPS Special Use Permit required - Cave research: CRPA federal authorization required Submit requests to: Wind Cave NP Superintendent, 26611 US-385, Hot Springs, SD 57747
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+ - Commercial (Part 107): ❌ Not allowed without NPS Special Use Permit + - CRPA: ⚠️ World's densest boxwork formations — rarest cave type + + ## Geographic Boundaries + Wind Cave National Park is located in Custer and Fall River + Counties, South Dakota, in the Black Hills. + - Total area: ~33,851 acres + - Coordinates: 43.5569° N, 103.4785° W + - Includes Wind Cave (over 150 miles mapped — 6th longest in world), + boxwork formations, and mixed-grass prairie above + - Free-roaming bison, elk, pronghorn, and prairie dog herds + - Nearest city: Hot Springs, SD (~11 miles south) + + ## 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 + - Cave Resources Protection Act (16 U.S.C. § 4301) — boxwork + and rare cave formation protections + - MBTA (16 U.S.C. § 703) — raptor nesting in Black Hills + - FAA 14 CFR Part 107 governs commercial operations + - Airspace: Class G; no controlled airspace over park + + ## Penalties + - NPS fines up to $5,000 per violation + - CRPA: fines up to $10,000 + imprisonment for cave disturbance + - MBTA: fines up to $15,000 + 6 months per raptor disturbance + - FAA civil penalties up to $27,500 per violation per day + - Equipment confiscation by park rangers + - NPS Special Use Permit required + - Cave research: CRPA federal authorization required + Submit requests to: Wind Cave NP Superintendent, + 26611 US-385, Hot Springs, SD 57747
May 27, 2026 10:57 PM
Approved
• Rollback user history: Included broken and wrong link... In every post. Mass edit spam of national parks adding nothing specific.
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Administrative rollback audit entry.
Changed fields
| Field | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Flight status | NoFly | Permission |
| Summary | Drones are prohibited in Wind Cave National Park per NPS policy. No recreational use permitted. | United States National Parks are restricted from taking off, landing, or controlling a drone within the park to those with permission. Which is rare to receive. |
Before
## Drone Rules - Wind Cave National Park **Drone flights are banned** in Wind Cave National Park. ### Key Rules - No recreational drone use anywhere in the park - Commercial filming requires a Special Use Permit from park administration - The park protects bison, elk, and pronghorn sensitive to aerial disturbance ### Source - NPS UAS Policy: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/sound/uas.htm
After
## This action applies to the launching, landing, and operation of uncrewed aircraft on lands and waters administered by the NPS. Jurisdiction by the NPS ends at the park boundary. The policy memorandum does not modify any requirement imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the use or operation of uncrewed aircraft in the National Airspace System. https://www.nps.gov/articles/uncrewed-aircraft-in-the-national-parks.htm
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+ This action applies to the launching, landing, and operation of uncrewed aircraft on lands and waters administered by the NPS. Jurisdiction by the NPS ends at the park boundary. The policy memorandum does not modify any requirement imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the use or operation of uncrewed aircraft in the National Airspace System. - - ### Key Rules - - No recreational drone use anywhere in the park - - Commercial filming requires a Special Use Permit from park administration - - The park protects bison, elk, and pronghorn sensitive to aerial disturbance - - ### Source - - NPS UAS Policy: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/sound/uas.htm -
Changed fields
Mapped shape change
Click to load this change into the shared map viewer here.
| Field | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Rule category | — | Ground |
| Flight status | — | Permission |
| Summary | — | United States National Parks are restricted from taking off, landing, or controlling a drone within the park to those with permission. Which is rare to receive. |
| Mapped shapes | — | bb469840-4171-4af9-83b6-8bc4a78493cc |
Before
After
## This action applies to the launching, landing, and operation of uncrewed aircraft on lands and waters administered by the NPS. Jurisdiction by the NPS ends at the park boundary. The policy memorandum does not modify any requirement imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the use or operation of uncrewed aircraft in the National Airspace System. https://www.nps.gov/articles/uncrewed-aircraft-in-the-national-parks.htm
Show inline change markers
+ ## + This action applies to the launching, landing, and operation of uncrewed aircraft on lands and waters administered by the NPS. Jurisdiction by the NPS ends at the park boundary. The policy memorandum does not modify any requirement imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the use or operation of uncrewed aircraft in the National Airspace System. + + https://www.nps.gov/articles/uncrewed-aircraft-in-the-national-parks.htm