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 these contexts must be clearly marked as state-owned unless operated under specific FAA regulations.

The bill also introduces new provisions regarding the consent process for UAS use, requiring that any consent given by facility owners may be conditioned on the use of their own UAS, and mandates that any data collected must be promptly provided to the facility's owner upon request. Furthermore, it clarifies that data collected is presumed not to be subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act. Notably, the bill exempts law enforcement agencies from these regulations when operating UAS as part of a law enforcement investigation.

Statutes affected:
Senate Introduced Bill: 259.307