The bill amends the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Act to establish specific regulations regarding the use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) by state departments, agencies, boards, or commissions. It prohibits these entities from using UAS to surveil, inspect, or gather information about facilities that are subject to permits or licenses unless certain conditions are met. These conditions include obtaining express consent from the facility owner, acting under a valid search warrant, investigating imminent threats to public health or safety, inspecting specific types of infrastructure, or participating in emergency response efforts. Additionally, the bill specifies that UAS used in compliance with these regulations must be clearly marked as state-owned unless operated under specific FAA regulations.

The bill also outlines the requirements for consent from facility owners, stating that such consent may be conditioned on the use of UAS owned and operated by the owner under FAA compliance. Furthermore, any data collected by UAS must be provided to the facility's owner upon request and is presumed not to be subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act. Notably, the bill clarifies that these regulations do not apply to law enforcement agencies conducting investigations.

Statutes affected:
Senate Introduced Bill: 259.307