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Drone Rules for Colville National Forest
Ferry County, Washington (WA)
• United States
Colville National Forest, Washington 99118, USA
Lat: 48.8832 • Lng: -118.768
Rules Edit History: Colville National Forest
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May 30, 2026 6:39 AM
Approved
• Added USFS drone advisory for Colville NF with Colville Indian Reservation tribal boundary and woodland caribou Selkirk Mountains context.
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Approved
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Your proposed edit detailing drone regulations in Colville National Forest, including the requirement for tribal authorization for overflights over the Colville Indian Reservation, has been approved. This aligns with the Colville National Forest's guidelines that prohibit drone operations over reservation land without tribal authorization. The added context about the forest's proximity to the Colville Indian Reservation enhances the 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Summary | — | USFS Colville NF in northeastern Washington has no designated Wilderness but borders the Colville Indian Reservation extensively. Tribal authorization is required for any UAS operating over reservation land. |
| Mapped shapes | — | d1b5a872-ed58-4bfc-a7e3-9569a40598b6 |
Before
After
## Drone Rules - Colville NF, Washington **No Wilderness designation**, but the Colville Indian Reservation (1.4 million acres) borders three sides of the forest; tribal government approval is required for reservation overflights. ### Airspace / Site Context - The Colville Confederated Tribes operate tribally-managed forests adjacent to the USFS forest; boundaries are not always physically marked - Spokane International (GEG) Class C is ~60 NM south; Republic Airport (REP) Class G is the nearest local airport - Kettle Range and Selkirk Mountains in the forest have winter icing and sub-zero temperatures October-April ### Key Rules - Contact Colville Confederated Tribes Natural Resources office before flying near reservation boundaries - USFS Special Use Permit required for commercial photography in national forest - Woodland caribou have been documented near the Selkirk Mountains border; spring disturbance avoidance recommended ### Source - USFS Colville: https://www.fs.usda.gov/colville
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+ ## Drone Rules - Colville NF, Washington + + **No Wilderness designation**, but the Colville Indian Reservation (1.4 million acres) borders three sides of the forest; tribal government approval is required for reservation overflights. + + ### Airspace / Site Context + - The Colville Confederated Tribes operate tribally-managed forests adjacent to the USFS forest; boundaries are not always physically marked + - Spokane International (GEG) Class C is ~60 NM south; Republic Airport (REP) Class G is the nearest local airport + - Kettle Range and Selkirk Mountains in the forest have winter icing and sub-zero temperatures October-April + + ### Key Rules + - Contact Colville Confederated Tribes Natural Resources office before flying near reservation boundaries + - USFS Special Use Permit required for commercial photography in national forest + - Woodland caribou have been documented near the Selkirk Mountains border; spring disturbance avoidance recommended + + ### Source + - USFS Colville: https://www.fs.usda.gov/colville +