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Drone Rules for Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge
Davis, West Virginia (WV)
• United States
6263 Appalachian Hwy, Davis, WV 26260, USA
Lat: 39.0452 • Lng: -79.4468
Rules Edit History: Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge
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May 30, 2026 8:49 AM
Approved
• Added USFWS drone prohibition for Canaan Valley NWR with central Appalachian high-elevation wetland context and Indiana Bat ESA protection.
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Approved
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Your proposed edit detailing the drone prohibition at Canaan Valley 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 location in the central Appalachian high-elevation wetland and the presence of the Indiana Bat, a species protected under the Endangered Species Act, 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 | — | Canaan Valley NWR prohibits all UAS operations under USFWS Director's Order 210. At 3,400 feet elevation, the valley hosts the largest freshwater wetland complex in the central Appalachians. |
| Mapped shapes | — | 503f82c3-c698-48f5-953f-c407805d98ec |
Before
After
## Drone Rules - Canaan Valley NWR **All drone operations are prohibited** under USFWS Director's Order 210 (2015) without a Special Use Permit. ### Airspace / Site Context - Remote high-elevation valley at 3,200-3,500 ft MSL in Tucker County, WV - Elkins Regional Airport (KEKN) Class D lies ~30 miles south - Refuge encompasses 16,685 acres including bogs, shrub wetlands, and spruce forests - Functionally isolated ecosystem with numerous rare plant and invertebrate species ### Key Rules - No UAS without USFWS Special Use Permit - ESA-listed Indiana Bat hibernates in caves adjacent to refuge October-April - West Virginia Northern Flying Squirrel (ESA delisted 2008) sensitive habitat - Adjacent Canaan Valley Resort State Park also prohibits drone operations ### Source - USFWS: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/canaan-valley
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+ ## Drone Rules - Canaan Valley NWR + + **All drone operations are prohibited** under USFWS Director's Order 210 (2015) without a Special Use Permit. + + ### Airspace / Site Context + - Remote high-elevation valley at 3,200-3,500 ft MSL in Tucker County, WV + - Elkins Regional Airport (KEKN) Class D lies ~30 miles south + - Refuge encompasses 16,685 acres including bogs, shrub wetlands, and spruce forests + - Functionally isolated ecosystem with numerous rare plant and invertebrate species + + ### Key Rules + - No UAS without USFWS Special Use Permit + - ESA-listed Indiana Bat hibernates in caves adjacent to refuge October-April + - West Virginia Northern Flying Squirrel (ESA delisted 2008) sensitive habitat + - Adjacent Canaan Valley Resort State Park also prohibits drone operations + + ### Source + - USFWS: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/canaan-valley +