The bill amends Florida Statutes related to unmanned aircraft systems, specifically revising the definition of "critical infrastructure facility" to include additional types of facilities, such as wired communications facilities and airports. It introduces an exception allowing drone operations over critical infrastructure for commercial purposes, provided they comply with Federal Aviation Administration regulations. The bill also increases the criminal penalty for violations related to drone operations over these facilities, changing the penalty from a misdemeanor of the second degree to a felony of the third degree.

Additionally, the bill prohibits the possession or operation of unmanned aircraft systems with attached weapons and outlines penalties for altering or tampering with these systems to evade identification requirements. It establishes new exceptions for law enforcement use of drones, including for crowd monitoring and the security of elected officials. The bill also introduces specific criminal penalties for violations of these provisions, including misdemeanors and felonies depending on the nature of the offense. The act is set to take effect on October 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
H 1121 Filed: 330.41, 330.411, 934.50
H 1121 c1: 330.411, 934.50