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Drone Rules for Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge
Olympia, Washington (WA)
• United States
100 Brown Farm Rd NE, Olympia, WA 98516, USA
Lat: 47.0728 • Lng: -122.713
Rules Edit History: Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge
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May 30, 2026 8:35 AM
Approved
• Added USFWS drone prohibition for Nisqually NWR with JBLM R-6703 restricted area, SEA Class B proximity, and dual civilian/military airspace coordination context.
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Approved
Confidence: 0.85
Your proposed edit detailing the drone prohibition at Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually 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 Joint Base Lewis-McChord's R-6703 restricted airspace and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's Class B airspace 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 Nisqually NWR. The Puget Sound estuary refuge is adjacent to JBLM (Joint Base Lewis-McChord) restricted airspace; dual civilian/military restrictions apply. |
| Mapped shapes | — | 59660363-a707-4858-95f1-aa177bc35fa6 |
Before
After
## Drone Rules - Nisqually NWR, Washington **Drones are prohibited** under USFWS Director's Order 210; Joint Base Lewis-McChord (KLEW) Class D and restricted airspace overlap the northern refuge boundary. ### Airspace / Site Context - Located at the southern end of Puget Sound; JBLM's R-6703 restricted area borders the refuge to the north - Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) Class B outer ring extends south toward Nisqually Delta; LAANC check required for all flights near the refuge - Nisqually Delta is a critical wintering area for dabbling ducks and shorebirds; JBLM and the refuge coordinate on low-altitude airspace management ### Key Rules - LAANC check for SEA Class B and JBLM restricted area before any flight near the Nisqually Delta - R-6703 (JBLM) restricted area: when active, no civilian UAS at any altitude; activation schedule available via NOTAMs - USFWS Special Use Permit required; research permits must also be coordinated with JBLM airspace management ### Source - USFWS Nisqually: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/billy-frank-jr-nisqually
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+ ## Drone Rules - Nisqually NWR, Washington + + **Drones are prohibited** under USFWS Director's Order 210; Joint Base Lewis-McChord (KLEW) Class D and restricted airspace overlap the northern refuge boundary. + + ### Airspace / Site Context + - Located at the southern end of Puget Sound; JBLM's R-6703 restricted area borders the refuge to the north + - Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) Class B outer ring extends south toward Nisqually Delta; LAANC check required for all flights near the refuge + - Nisqually Delta is a critical wintering area for dabbling ducks and shorebirds; JBLM and the refuge coordinate on low-altitude airspace management + + ### Key Rules + - LAANC check for SEA Class B and JBLM restricted area before any flight near the Nisqually Delta + - R-6703 (JBLM) restricted area: when active, no civilian UAS at any altitude; activation schedule available via NOTAMs + - USFWS Special Use Permit required; research permits must also be coordinated with JBLM airspace management + + ### Source + - USFWS Nisqually: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/billy-frank-jr-nisqually +