Can I fly a drone at Glacier Bay National Park?
Southeast Alaska's tidewater-glacier park, primarily accessed by cruise ship. NPS drone ban applies on land and over park waters.
Why drone pilots want to shoot here
Margerie Glacier. Johns Hopkins Glacier. Park waters from cruise ship perspective.
Where you CAN fly nearby
Adjacent USFS, BLM, and state-managed land that typically permits drone use with appropriate rules.
Tongass National Forest (AK)
USFS land surrounding Glacier Bay NP. Drones allowed in non-Wilderness areas.
FAQ — Glacier Bay National Park
Can I fly drones from a cruise ship in Glacier Bay?
No. Glacier Bay's water is part of the park. Drone use over park waters is banned regardless of where you launch from.
What about flying near the glaciers?
Glaciers are inside the park. Drone ban applies. Adjacent Tongass NF has similar tidewater glacier views in non-park areas.
Are there comparable alternatives?
Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness (USFS Wilderness, drones banned under Wilderness rules) is similar. Outside-Wilderness Tongass NF has drone-permitted glacier areas.
Other national parks
Park boundaries can be irregular. Verify the boundary of any alternative location before flying — adjacent USFS / BLM Wilderness areas have their own drone ban under different statute. Altoa is not the FAA or NPS.