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Drone Rules for Shenandoah National Park

Virginia (va) • United States
Virginia, USA
Lat: 38.4755 • Lng: -78.4535
Ground Not allowed Last updated: May 28, 2026
Summary
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Drone operations are strictly prohibited at Shenandoah National Park under NPS regulations, controlled by the National Park Service. No recreational or commercial flights are permitted without an explicit Special Use Permit from the park superintendent. Shenandoah was one of the first parks to explicitly publish its dr

Authorization Status

  • Recreational: ❌ 100% Banned
  • Commercial (Part 107): ❌ Not allowed without NPS Special Use Permit
  • DC SFRA: ⚠️ Washington D.C. Special Flight Rules Area proximity
  • Wilderness: ❌ Shenandoah Wilderness absolute motorized ban

Geographic Boundaries

Shenandoah National Park is located along the Blue Ridge Mountains in Augusta, Page, Rappahannock, Madison, Greene, Albemarle, and Warren Counties, Virginia.

  • Total area: ~199,045 acres
  • Coordinates: 38.5321° N, 78.3522° W
  • Includes Skyline Drive (105 miles), Old Rag Mountain (3,291 ft), Dark Hollow Falls, and Hawksbill Peak (4,051 ft — highest in park)
  • Shenandoah Wilderness: ~79,579 acres
  • Nearest city: Luray, VA (~5 miles east); D.C. (~75 miles northeast)

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 within park
  • Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. § 1131) — absolute motorized ban
  • Washington D.C. Special Flight Rules Area (SFRA) — 14 CFR § 93.335 applies within 60 NM of DCA; northern park sections fall within SFRA requiring ADIZ coordination
  • FAA 14 CFR Part 107 governs commercial operations nationwide
  • Airspace: Class G; northern sections near DC SFRA boundary

Penalties

  • NPS fines up to $5,000 per violation
  • Wilderness Act: fines up to $5,000 + 6 months imprisonment
  • DC SFRA violation: immediate intercept by military aircraft + federal criminal prosecution + certificate revocation
  • FAA civil penalties up to $27,500 per violation per day
  • Equipment confiscation by park rangers

Special Permissions

  • NPS Special Use Permit required
  • DC SFRA operations: mandatory FAA/TSA coordination
  • Wilderness research permit from park superintendent Submit requests to: Shenandoah NP Superintendent, 3655 US-211 E, Luray, VA 22835
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Rule sources
  • https://www.nps.gov/shen/learn/management/drones.htm — NPS Policy Memorandum 14-05 and 36 CFR § 1.5 prohibit all drone operations within Shenandoah National Park. Washington D.C. Special Flight Rules Area under 14 CFR § 93.335 adds military intercept risk for northern park sections.
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