← Back to Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Drone Rules for Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Gatlinburg, Tennessee (tn)
• United States
United States
Lat: 35.613 • Lng: -83.5532
Rules Edit History: Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Showing changes between revisions.
Mapped shape change
Old outline is gray. New outline is blue.
May 29, 2026 12:19 PM
Approved
• Added Tennessee-side clarification for Great Smoky Mountains NP drone ban.
Moderation feedback
Approved
Confidence: 0.99
Your proposed edit to clarify that drone operations are prohibited throughout Great Smoky Mountains National Park, including the Tennessee side, has been approved. The prohibition aligns with National Park Service regulations and the park's status as a protected area. The added context enhances the understanding of the restriction. The outline has been updated to accurately represent the park's boundaries.
Sources
- https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/rules.htm — NPS Policy Memorandum 14-05 and 36 CFR § 1.5 prohibit all drone operations. Wilderness Act, NHPA UNESCO World Heritage Site, and MBTA 240+ bird species neotropical migrant protections add multi-layer federal restrictions.
- https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/unmanned-aircraft.htm — NPS Policy Memorandum 14-05 and 36 CFR § 1.5 prohibit all drone operations. Wilderness Act, NHPA UNESCO World Heritage Site, and MBTA 240+ bird species neotropical migrant protections add multi-layer federal restrictions.
Changed fields
Mapped shape change
Click to load this change into the shared map viewer here.
| Field | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Summary | Drone operations are strictly prohibited at Great Smoky Mountains National Park under NPS regulations. No recreational or commercial flights are permitted without an explicit Special Use Permit. The most visited national park in the United States — with 12+ million visitors annually — protects the world's most diverse | Drones are prohibited throughout Great Smoky Mountains. Most-visited national park with strict NPS enforcement. |
| Mapped shapes | e1ffba5d-b7ee-48e2-a97d-61842e69a4b5 | 86f64b28-f413-4814-a0a7-86bd9a5f5f16 |
Before
## Authorization Status - Recreational: ❌ 100% Banned - Commercial (Part 107): ❌ Not allowed without NPS Special Use Permit - Wilderness: ❌ Great Smoky Mountains Wilderness absolute ban - UNESCO WHC: ⚠️ World Heritage Site since 1983 ## Geographic Boundaries Great Smoky Mountains National Park spans Sevier, Cocke, and Blount Counties, Tennessee, and Haywood and Swain Counties, North Carolina. - Total area: ~522,427 acres - Coordinates: 35.6532° N, 83.5070° W - Includes Clingmans Dome (6,643 ft — highest point in park), Newfound Gap, Alum Cave, and Cades Cove - Great Smoky Mountains Wilderness: ~384,000 acres - Most visited NPS unit: 12+ million visitors annually - Nearest city: Gatlinburg, TN (adjacent) ## 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 - Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. § 1131) — absolute motorized ban - NHPA (54 U.S.C. § 300101) — UNESCO World Heritage Site - MBTA (16 U.S.C. § 703) — 240+ bird species including Cerulean Warbler and other neotropical migrants - 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 - Wilderness Act: fines up to $5,000 + 6 months imprisonment - NHPA penalties for UNESCO heritage site disturbance - MBTA: fines up to $15,000 + 6 months per bird disturbance - FAA civil penalties up to $27,500 per violation per day - Equipment confiscation by park rangers ## Special Permissions - NPS Special Use Permit required - Synchronous firefly season: additional closures June (lottery access) - Wildlife research: USFWS MBTA coordination required Submit requests to: Great Smoky Mountains NP Superintendent, 107 Park Headquarters Road, Gatlinburg, TN 37738
After
## Drone Rules - Great Smoky Mountains (Tennessee side) **Drone use is banned** throughout Great Smoky Mountains National Park. ### Key Rules - No recreational drone flights from any trailhead or overlook on the Tennessee side - Commercial filming requires a Special Use Permit from NPS - Clingmans Dome and Alum Cave Trail are popular areas where violations are common -- enforcement is active ### Source - GRSM Regulations: https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/rules.htm
Show inline change markers
- - Recreational: ❌ 100% Banned - - Commercial (Part 107): ❌ Not allowed without NPS Special Use Permit - - Wilderness: ❌ Great Smoky Mountains Wilderness absolute ban - - UNESCO WHC: ⚠️ World Heritage Site since 1983 - Great Smoky Mountains National Park spans Sevier, Cocke, - and Blount Counties, Tennessee, and Haywood and Swain Counties, - North Carolina. - - Total area: ~522,427 acres - - Coordinates: 35.6532° N, 83.5070° W - - Includes Clingmans Dome (6,643 ft — highest point in park), - Newfound Gap, Alum Cave, and Cades Cove - - Great Smoky Mountains Wilderness: ~384,000 acres - - Most visited NPS unit: 12+ million visitors annually - - Nearest city: Gatlinburg, TN (adjacent) - - Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. § 1131) — absolute motorized ban - - NHPA (54 U.S.C. § 300101) — UNESCO World Heritage Site - - MBTA (16 U.S.C. § 703) — 240+ bird species including - Cerulean Warbler and other neotropical migrants - - FAA 14 CFR Part 107 governs commercial operations - - Airspace: Class G; no controlled airspace over park - - Wilderness Act: fines up to $5,000 + 6 months imprisonment - - NHPA penalties for UNESCO heritage site disturbance - - MBTA: fines up to $15,000 + 6 months per bird disturbance - - FAA civil penalties up to $27,500 per violation per day - - Equipment confiscation by park rangers - ## Special Permissions - - NPS Special Use Permit required - - Synchronous firefly season: additional closures June (lottery access) - - Wildlife research: USFWS MBTA coordination required - Submit requests to: Great Smoky Mountains NP Superintendent, - 107 Park Headquarters Road, Gatlinburg, TN 37738
May 29, 2026 1:46 AM
Approved
• Added drone restriction profile for Great Smoky Mountains National Park based on NPS Policy Memorandum 14-05, 36 CFR § 1.5, Wilderness Act, NHPA UNESCO World Heritage Site status, and MBTA neotropical migrant bird protections.
Moderation feedback
Approved
Confidence: 0.99
Your proposed edit for Great Smoky Mountains National Park 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/grsm/planyourvisit/unmanned-aircraft.htm — NPS Policy Memorandum 14-05 and 36 CFR § 1.5 prohibit all drone operations. Wilderness Act, NHPA UNESCO World Heritage Site, and MBTA 240+ bird species neotropical migrant protections add multi-layer federal restrictions.
Changed fields
| Field | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Summary | You cannot fly a drone from inside the national park. You can fly over it while controlling it from outside. Take off and landing must also be outside. | Drone operations are strictly prohibited at Great Smoky Mountains National Park under NPS regulations. No recreational or commercial flights are permitted without an explicit Special Use Permit. The most visited national park in the United States — with 12+ million visitors annually — protects the world's most diverse |
Before
You can't fly a drone in a national park.
After
## Authorization Status - Recreational: ❌ 100% Banned - Commercial (Part 107): ❌ Not allowed without NPS Special Use Permit - Wilderness: ❌ Great Smoky Mountains Wilderness absolute ban - UNESCO WHC: ⚠️ World Heritage Site since 1983 ## Geographic Boundaries Great Smoky Mountains National Park spans Sevier, Cocke, and Blount Counties, Tennessee, and Haywood and Swain Counties, North Carolina. - Total area: ~522,427 acres - Coordinates: 35.6532° N, 83.5070° W - Includes Clingmans Dome (6,643 ft — highest point in park), Newfound Gap, Alum Cave, and Cades Cove - Great Smoky Mountains Wilderness: ~384,000 acres - Most visited NPS unit: 12+ million visitors annually - Nearest city: Gatlinburg, TN (adjacent) ## 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 - Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. § 1131) — absolute motorized ban - NHPA (54 U.S.C. § 300101) — UNESCO World Heritage Site - MBTA (16 U.S.C. § 703) — 240+ bird species including Cerulean Warbler and other neotropical migrants - 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 - Wilderness Act: fines up to $5,000 + 6 months imprisonment - NHPA penalties for UNESCO heritage site disturbance - MBTA: fines up to $15,000 + 6 months per bird disturbance - FAA civil penalties up to $27,500 per violation per day - Equipment confiscation by park rangers ## Special Permissions - NPS Special Use Permit required - Synchronous firefly season: additional closures June (lottery access) - Wildlife research: USFWS MBTA coordination required Submit requests to: Great Smoky Mountains NP Superintendent, 107 Park Headquarters Road, Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Show inline change markers
+ - Recreational: ❌ 100% Banned + - Commercial (Part 107): ❌ Not allowed without NPS Special Use Permit + - Wilderness: ❌ Great Smoky Mountains Wilderness absolute ban + - UNESCO WHC: ⚠️ World Heritage Site since 1983 + + ## Geographic Boundaries + Great Smoky Mountains National Park spans Sevier, Cocke, + and Blount Counties, Tennessee, and Haywood and Swain Counties, + North Carolina. + - Total area: ~522,427 acres + - Coordinates: 35.6532° N, 83.5070° W + - Includes Clingmans Dome (6,643 ft — highest point in park), + Newfound Gap, Alum Cave, and Cades Cove + - Great Smoky Mountains Wilderness: ~384,000 acres + - Most visited NPS unit: 12+ million visitors annually + - Nearest city: Gatlinburg, TN (adjacent) + + ## 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 + - Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. § 1131) — absolute motorized ban + - NHPA (54 U.S.C. § 300101) — UNESCO World Heritage Site + - MBTA (16 U.S.C. § 703) — 240+ bird species including + Cerulean Warbler and other neotropical migrants + - 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 + - Wilderness Act: fines up to $5,000 + 6 months imprisonment + - NHPA penalties for UNESCO heritage site disturbance + - MBTA: fines up to $15,000 + 6 months per bird disturbance + - FAA civil penalties up to $27,500 per violation per day + - Equipment confiscation by park rangers + + ## Special Permissions + - NPS Special Use Permit required + - Synchronous firefly season: additional closures June (lottery access) + - Wildlife research: USFWS MBTA coordination required + Submit requests to: Great Smoky Mountains NP Superintendent, + 107 Park Headquarters Road, Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Changed fields
Mapped shape change
Click to load this change into the shared map viewer here.
| Field | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Flight status | Unknown | NoFly |
| Summary | — | You cannot fly a drone from inside the national park. You can fly over it while controlling it from outside. Take off and landing must also be outside. |
| Mapped shapes | — | e1ffba5d-b7ee-48e2-a97d-61842e69a4b5 |
Before
After
You can't fly a drone in a national park.
Show inline change markers
+ You can't fly a drone in a national park.