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Drone Rules for Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge
Liberty, Texas (TX)
• United States
601 Farm to Market Rd 1011, Liberty, TX 77575, USA
Lat: 30.0983 • Lng: -94.7659
Rules Edit History: Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge
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May 30, 2026 8:26 AM
Approved
• Added USFWS drone prohibition for Trinity River NWR with IAH Class B proximity check, alligator nest buffer, and Houston metro bottomland context.
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Approved
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Your proposed edit detailing the drone prohibition at Trinity River 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 refuge's proximity to George Bush Intercontinental Airport's Class B airspace, the presence of alligator nesting sites, and its location within the Houston metropolitan area's bottomland hardwoods 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 Trinity River NWR. The bottomland hardwood refuge in the Houston metro area sits within George Bush Intercontinental's Class B airspace network. |
| Mapped shapes | — | 58ba572f-a830-40fa-a622-14625b2ded94 |
Before
After
## Drone Rules - Trinity River NWR, Texas **Drones are prohibited** under USFWS Director's Order 210; George Bush Intercontinental (IAH) Class B airspace covers the southern portions of the refuge. ### Airspace / Site Context - Located ~55 NM northeast of Houston in Liberty County; IAH Class B outer ring extends north toward the Liberty area - American alligator, swamp rabbit, and neotropical migratory songbirds use the bottomland hardwood; spring songbird migration (April-May) is peak activity - Beaumont Municipal (BPT) Class D is ~30 NM east; IAH Class B outer ring boundary check via B4UFLY is essential ### Key Rules - LAANC check required for any flight near Liberty County -- IAH Class B outer ring may reach the refuge boundary - Alligator nesting season (June-August): USFWS recommends no flights within 500 ft of active nest mounds - USFWS Special Use Permit required; research permits go to USFWS Southwest Region Texas office ### Source - USFWS Trinity River: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/trinity-river
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+ ## Drone Rules - Trinity River NWR, Texas + + **Drones are prohibited** under USFWS Director's Order 210; George Bush Intercontinental (IAH) Class B airspace covers the southern portions of the refuge. + + ### Airspace / Site Context + - Located ~55 NM northeast of Houston in Liberty County; IAH Class B outer ring extends north toward the Liberty area + - American alligator, swamp rabbit, and neotropical migratory songbirds use the bottomland hardwood; spring songbird migration (April-May) is peak activity + - Beaumont Municipal (BPT) Class D is ~30 NM east; IAH Class B outer ring boundary check via B4UFLY is essential + + ### Key Rules + - LAANC check required for any flight near Liberty County -- IAH Class B outer ring may reach the refuge boundary + - Alligator nesting season (June-August): USFWS recommends no flights within 500 ft of active nest mounds + - USFWS Special Use Permit required; research permits go to USFWS Southwest Region Texas office + + ### Source + - USFWS Trinity River: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/trinity-river +