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Drone Rules for Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center
Springville, Tennessee (TN)
• United States
1371 Wildlife Dr, Springville, TN 38256, USA
Lat: 36.3309 • Lng: -88.1268
Rules Edit History: Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center
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Old outline is gray. New outline is blue.
May 30, 2026 8:01 AM
Approved
• Added USFWS drone prohibition for Tennessee NWR with TVA Kentucky Lake dam buffer, waterfowl hunter conflict, and three-unit refuge context.
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Approved
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Your proposed edit detailing the drone prohibition at Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge has been approved. This aligns with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regulations prohibiting drone operations within national wildlife refuges. The added context regarding the 500-foot buffer around TVA dam structures and potential conflicts with waterfowl hunters 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Flight status | Unknown | NoFly |
| Summary | — | USFWS prohibits drones on Tennessee NWR. The three-unit refuge on Kentucky Lake hosts wintering Canada geese, mallards, and diving ducks managed in TVA reservoir impoundments. |
| Mapped shapes | — | f789c1bd-be7b-4789-8914-a802ff4cf0d3 |
Before
After
## Drone Rules - Tennessee NWR, Tennessee **Drones are prohibited** under USFWS Director's Order 210; TVA dam structures at Kentucky Lake are critical infrastructure with a federal 500-ft buffer. ### Airspace / Site Context - Three management units (Duck and Goose, Busseltown, Big Sandy) along Kentucky Lake and Tennessee River - Nashville International (BNA) Class C outer ring does not extend this far (~80 NM east); Parsons-Decatur (PVE) Class G is the nearest - Winter hunting seasons (October-January) mean active waterfowl hunters in adjacent private areas; drone/hunter conflicts have been reported ### Key Rules - TVA Kentucky Lake: 500-ft no-fly buffer from dam structures applies to the impoundment areas - USFWS Special Use Permit required; research permits go to USFWS Tennessee NWR manager - Hunting season drone/hunter conflicts: Tennessee game wardens have cited drone operators for interfering with hunters near the refuge boundary ### Source - USFWS Tennessee NWR: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/tennessee
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+ ## Drone Rules - Tennessee NWR, Tennessee + + **Drones are prohibited** under USFWS Director's Order 210; TVA dam structures at Kentucky Lake are critical infrastructure with a federal 500-ft buffer. + + ### Airspace / Site Context + - Three management units (Duck and Goose, Busseltown, Big Sandy) along Kentucky Lake and Tennessee River + - Nashville International (BNA) Class C outer ring does not extend this far (~80 NM east); Parsons-Decatur (PVE) Class G is the nearest + - Winter hunting seasons (October-January) mean active waterfowl hunters in adjacent private areas; drone/hunter conflicts have been reported + + ### Key Rules + - TVA Kentucky Lake: 500-ft no-fly buffer from dam structures applies to the impoundment areas + - USFWS Special Use Permit required; research permits go to USFWS Tennessee NWR manager + - Hunting season drone/hunter conflicts: Tennessee game wardens have cited drone operators for interfering with hunters near the refuge boundary + + ### Source + - USFWS Tennessee NWR: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/tennessee +