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Drone Rules for Aransas National Wildlife Refuge
Austwell, Texas (TX)
• United States
1 Wildlife Circle, Austwell, TX 77950, USA
Lat: 28.3087 • Lng: -96.8043
Rules Edit History: Aransas National Wildlife Refuge
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Mapped shape change
Old outline is gray. New outline is blue.
May 30, 2026 7:17 AM
Approved
• Added USFWS drone prohibition for Aransas NWR with entire wild whooping crane flock wintering habitat and federal felony take risk context.
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Approved
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Your proposed edit detailing drone regulations at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, including the USFWS prohibition, whooping crane wintering habitat, and federal felony take risk context, has been approved. This aligns with USFWS regulations prohibiting drone operations within the refuge. The added context 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 Aransas NWR. The refuge is the primary wintering ground for the entire wild flock of whooping cranes (approximately 500 individuals); disturbance is a federal criminal matter. |
| Mapped shapes | — | b7142595-bdbf-47e2-bf88-356e3bede523 |
Before
After
## Drone Rules - Aransas NWR, Texas **Drones are prohibited** under USFWS Director's Order 210 and ESA Section 9 take prohibition for whooping cranes. ### Airspace / Site Context - The entire wild-flock whooping crane population winters here November-March; a single drone flush event could kill birds - Corpus Christi International (CRP) Class C is ~60 NM south; Victoria Regional (VCT) Class D is ~40 NM northwest - San Antonio Bay and Mesquite Bay surround the refuge; boat-launched drones are equally prohibited ### Key Rules - Whooping crane is among the most endangered birds in North America; intentional or negligent take carries federal felony charges - USFWS Special Use Permit for research UAS is subject to Whooping Crane Recovery Team review and approval - No drones from chartered tour boats operating in refuge waters -- boats hold a Special Use Permit that does not extend to UAS ### Source - USFWS Aransas: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/aransas - USFWS Whooping Crane Recovery: https://www.fws.gov/project/whooping-crane-recovery
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+ ## Drone Rules - Aransas NWR, Texas + + **Drones are prohibited** under USFWS Director's Order 210 and ESA Section 9 take prohibition for whooping cranes. + + ### Airspace / Site Context + - The entire wild-flock whooping crane population winters here November-March; a single drone flush event could kill birds + - Corpus Christi International (CRP) Class C is ~60 NM south; Victoria Regional (VCT) Class D is ~40 NM northwest + - San Antonio Bay and Mesquite Bay surround the refuge; boat-launched drones are equally prohibited + + ### Key Rules + - Whooping crane is among the most endangered birds in North America; intentional or negligent take carries federal felony charges + - USFWS Special Use Permit for research UAS is subject to Whooping Crane Recovery Team review and approval + - No drones from chartered tour boats operating in refuge waters -- boats hold a Special Use Permit that does not extend to UAS + + ### Source + - USFWS Aransas: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/aransas + - USFWS Whooping Crane Recovery: https://www.fws.gov/project/whooping-crane-recovery +