Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) of the UAS Program

Collectively, a UAS consists of an aircraft platform, sensor and communication payloads, and the ground control segment. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) policy identifies “Unmanned Aircraft (UA) as ‘aircraft’ flown by a ‘pilot’ regardless of where the pilot is located." The Forest Service has adopted the same policy.

The public can fly UAS on National Forest System lands for fun or recreation if they adhere to the requirements specified in the FAA rules for recreational flyers. Recreational flyers are also advised to follow guidance provided in Forest Service Tips for Responsible Recreational Use of UAS.

The Forest Service fleet currently consists of small rotary-wing or rotorcraft platforms.  This includes tri-copters, quadcopters and hexa-copters with flight endurance thresholds ranging 20 to 60 minutes.

The Forest Service uses UAS to acquire optical and thermal imagery to support prescribed and wildland fire management activities. These particular activities capture aerial views of fires and help reduce safety risks to agency staff associated with acquiring the same type of data using manned aircraft.  The imagery and derived products provide timely intelligence information to incident management teams to help inform decisions.  UAS are also being used to support prescribed and wildland fire management activities by conducting aerial ignition operations.  In this use case, UAS have an automated payload that carry and drop plastic spheres based in targeted locations. The spheres contain chemical that are activated by the payload when dropped and ignite shortly after landing on the ground.  This capability is used in highly planned and controlled settings to effectively ignite areas for prescribed fire management as well as to start backfires to help control wildland fires.

UAS are also being used by the Forest Service to acquire multiple types of remote sensing data to support various resource management objectives. These data include true color/RGB imagery, multispectral imagery, thermal imagery and lidar. The data are used to generate two dimensional (2D) and three dimensional (3D) mapping and visualization products to help inform management actions for forests, rangelands, watersheds, soils, wildlife, recreation, infrastructure, etc.

Yes. A special use permit may be required if a UAS is launched, operated, and landed on National Forest Service land for purposes other than recreation or hobby uses. For additional information, contact the special use staff for the Forest or Region where you intend to fly. Note that UAS can NEVER be flown over wildfires, or where Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) have been enacted around fires or for other reasons.

Commercial filming and photography may take place on FS public lands with a Special Use Permit issued typically by the District Ranger or Forest Supervisor of the relevant forest. This authority is provided under 36 CFR 251.54.

Yes, except for purposes of recreation or hobby use. For any other purpose, users should contact the Forest or Regional Office special uses staff to check if a special use permit is required.

UAS may be flown on NFS lands to conduct research if they have proper FAA authorization and meet Forest Service requirements. It is recommended they contact Forest or Regional Office aviation and special uses staff before flying. 

No. UAS are considered to be both motorized equipment and mechanical transport and as such they cannot take off from, land in, or be operated from congressionally designated Wilderness Areas. 

The FAA requests pilots to maintain a minimum altitude of 2,000 feet (610 meters) above the surface of Wilderness and Primitive areas administered by the U.S. Forest Service. The surface is defined as the highest terrain within 2,000 feet laterally of the route of flight. See Chapter 7 Section 5 of the Aeronautical Information Manual.

Firefighter and public safety are the top priorities in wildfire management. Unauthorized UAS flights near a wildfire could cause serious injury or death to firefighters and pilots who are in the air, as well as firefighters and public citizens who are on the ground. Aerial firefighting aircraft, such as airtankers and helicopters, fly at very low altitudes, the same as UAS flown by the general public, creating the potential for mid-air collision that could be fatal for aviation and/or ground firefighters, as well as members of the public. Firefighting aircraft typical fly in smoky, windy, and turbulent conditions.  Safety depends on knowing what other aircraft are operating in the airspace and where they are at all times; their safety is compromised by the presence of UAS.  

An annual average of 23 public UAS incursions (i.e., a member of the public flying UAS over or near wildland fires) have occurred since 2016.  These are only reported/documented incidents that wildland fire management agencies are aware of, there are likely more.

Please see the National Interagency Fire Center's UAS Incursion webpage for the latest statistics.

Yes, there is the potential for land and homeowners and others to view unauthorized video or photos shot by members of the public flying drones and use that information to make decisions, such as whether or not to evacuate and when to evacuate, instead of official information from the proper authorities such as local law enforcement.  

Many measures are taken to ensure the safety of manned aircraft  operations and others. Pilots talk on a common frequency to let others know where they are and where they are heading. Aircraft have transponders that send out a signal with their position and altitude. Pilots and crew are constantly scanning the sky for other aircraft. UAS have none of these safety features. These small aircraft are extremely hard to see and a collision with even a small UAS could be catastrophic for a manned aircraft.

Unauthorized UAS flights could lead fire managers to suspend aerial wildfire suppression operations until the UAS has left the airspace and they are confident it won’t return. Suspending air operations could decrease the effectiveness of wildfire suppression operations; the effects of the lost aircraft airtime could be compounded by potential flames moving into untreated terrain. This delay could allow wildfires to grow larger with the potential to threaten lives and property. Suspended air operations could also delay transportation of firefighters to different locations and add to costs of fighting the fire.  

Members of the public who fly UAS over or near wildfires may be violating FAA and/or Forest Service regulations.  Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) are typically established by the FAA around wildland fires to protect firefighting aircraft.  All aircraft, including UAS, are prohibited from entering a TFR unless they are operated by agencies directly involved in fire suppression activities. Violation of a TFR endangers the safety of manned aircraft and could be subject to civil and/or criminal penalties. Even if a TFR is not in effect, UAS pilots should avoid flying near wildland fires. Anyone who operates a drone and deliberately or recklessly interferes with wildfire suppression, law enforcement, or emergency response efforts is subject to revocation or suspension of a pilot certificate, up to a $20,000 civil penalty per violation, and potential criminal prosecution.