A close call between a small aircraft and a drone near Catalina Island’s Airport in the Sky has prompted the Catalina Island Conservancy to adopt new restrictions on drone operations across the approximately 42,000 acres it manages.
The policy prohibits launching, landing or operating drones on Conservancy lands without prior written authorization, whether the aircraft is being used recreationally or commercially. The Conservancy manages approximately 88% of Catalina Island.
The restrictions follow an incident May 19, 2026, involving a Cessna 182 flying southwest of Airport in the Sky at approximately 3,000 feet. According to the Conservancy, a drone appeared in the aircraft’s flight path, forcing the pilot to take action to avoid a potential midair collision.
Conservancy rangers responding to the incident later observed a drone descending toward Goat Harbor. Based on its location and flight path, officials believe the drone may have been launched from a boat offshore. Similar drone encounters have been reported around Catalina in previous years, but the Conservancy said the May incident highlighted the potential danger unauthorized drone activity can pose to aircraft.
“Even a small bird can cause significant damage when it strikes an aircraft,” Airport Operations Manager Carl True said. “With a drone, and at the speeds these aircraft are traveling, a collision could cause severe damage and put everyone on board at risk.”
Airport in the Sky is owned and operated by the Catalina Island Conservancy rather than a city, county or airport authority. Located in Catalina’s interior at an elevation of approximately 1,600 feet, the airport is surrounded by Conservancy-managed wildlands.
The Conservancy said its new policy is modeled after National Park Service restrictions on unmanned aircraft and is intended to address aviation safety as well as potential impacts to wildlife, sensitive habitat and visitors.
Limited drone operations may still be authorized for purposes including scientific research, habitat monitoring, permitted commercial filming, emergency response, utility work and Conservancy land-management activities. Those operations require advance approval and may be subject to additional restrictions involving altitude, wildlife, people, daylight operations and proximity to Airport in the Sky.
Drone activity is of particular concern on Catalina because aircraft operating over the island can include search-and-rescue, medical transport and fire-suppression flights. The Conservancy is also using authorized drones as part of Operation Protect Catalina Island, its long-term ecological restoration effort.
“This incident showed that drones in the wrong place can become a serious safety issue,” Conservancy Director of Communications Pepe Barton said. “We have a duty to keep the airspace over Catalina safe and to protect the native wildlife and habitat below it. A stray drone threatens both.”
The policy does not prohibit drone operations conducted entirely from, on and over privately owned property within or adjacent to Conservancy boundaries when the operator has the property owner’s permission. The Conservancy is requesting that operators coordinate in advance with Airport in the Sky staff for private-property flights within three miles of the airport.
The Federal Aviation Administration continues to regulate national airspace, and drone operators remain responsible for complying with federal aviation rules and other applicable laws.
As part of the new restrictions, the Conservancy plans to install signs throughout Catalina’s interior and add drone-detection technology at Airport in the Sky. The system can detect drone activity and, when available, use federally required Remote ID broadcasts to provide information that may assist staff and authorities investigating unauthorized flights.
Conservancy rangers may order unauthorized operators on Conservancy property to stop flying and leave the area. Additional consequences may include warnings, loss of access to Conservancy lands or referral to agencies including the FAA, California Department of Fish and Wildlife or Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
For boaters visiting Catalina, the incident also serves as a reminder that launching a drone from a vessel does not eliminate aviation and wildlife considerations. Operators should be aware of where they are flying, particularly around Airport in the Sky and Conservancy-managed portions of the island, and ensure their flights comply with applicable federal and local requirements.
