Each week during the 2024 state sessions, this newsletter will provide updates on the legislative actions taking place in statehouses across the country.
About Drone Prepared and AAM Prepared: AUVSI’s Prepared initiatives work to ensure that states and localities are ready for the benefits that uncrewed and autonomous flight will bring to their communities.
Utah UAS/AAM Registration Fee Comments
- What we’re up to: This week, AUVSI submitted our comments on the Utah Department of Transportations proposed rulemaking on registration fees for UAS and AAM aircraft. The proposed rule would charge $15 per commercial aircraft under 55 lbs. and $100 per commercial aircraft over 55 lbs.
- Why it matters: We feel that state registration fees are unnecessary and burdensome, as drone operators are already required to register and pay a fee at the federal level. AUVSI urged UDOT to not impose these fees on commercial operators.
- What’s new: This week there were 11 new UAS and AAM related measures introduced and 4 that saw committee activity.
- What’s next: We expect to continue to see high levels of new bills through January, with increased levels of committee activity towards the end of the month.
- Hawaii Senate Bill 2081 – Establishes the Aerospace and Aeronautics Development Program.?
- Hawaii Senate Bill 2194 – Establishes the felony misuse of unmanned aircraft in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd degrees.??
- Hawaii Senate Bill 2310 – Prohibits the use of a location tracker to harass, stalk, or perpetuate a crime against another person; includes UAS in the definition of location tracker.?
- Maryland House Bill 303 – Prohibits a unit of the State from conducting persistent aerial surveillance to gather evidence in a criminal investigation unless certain circumstances are met.?
- New Jersey Assembly Bill 1291 – Allows public utilities, cable companies, and telecommunications services to operate drones to inspect critical infrastructure.??
- New Jersey Assembly Bill 3096 – Establishes penalties for operating a UAS in furtherance of a crime.?
- New Jersey Assembly Bill 1383 – Sets forth guidelines to be followed by law enforcement agencies, emergency management offices, and fire departments that use UAS.?
- New Jersey Assembly Bill 2570 – Prohibits the use of UAS by law enforcement agencies.?
- New Jersey Assembly Bill 2420 – Makes operation of a drone equipped with a weapon a fourth-degree crime.?
- Wisconsin Assembly Bill 941 - States that counties, cities, villages, and towns must use zoning and land use authority to promote reasonable access to advanced air mobility operators at public vertiports and may not grant or permit an exclusive right of operation to one or more vertiport owners or operators. Companion to SB 867.??
- West Virginia House Bill 4825 – Prohibits a law enforcement officer from searching private lands without a warrant; “search” includes the use of a UAS.??
- Florida Senate Bill 1532 – This measure makes technical nonsubstantive changes in the critical infrastructure restrictions for UAS. It passed the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee by a unanimous vote.??
- Indiana Senate Bill 182 – This measure clarifies that trafficking with an inmate includes delivering, carrying, or receiving through the use of a UAS. It passed the Senate Committee on Corrections and Criminal Law.?
- Indiana Senate Bill 189 – This measure permits the use of a UAS to locate and recover a legally taken animal. It passed the Senate Committee on Commerce and Technology.??
- Utah House Bill 142 – This measure allows a public transit district to use UAS to examine public transit facilities. It was amended to clarify that state and federal agencies may also use UAS over critical infrastructure facilities and passed the House Transportation Committee by a unanimous vote.?
- Florida Senate Bill 1362 – This measure is scheduled to be heard in the Senate Transportation Committee on January 23rd. It requires the DOT to address the needs for advanced aviation in the statewide aviation plan, designate an AAM SME, lead a statewide educational campaign, and provide local jurisdictions with a guidebook to support planning.??
- Maryland Senate Bill 273 – This measure is scheduled to be heard in the Senate Judiciary Proceedings Committee on February 6th. It prohibits the intentional photography or image capture of a correctional facility and the delivery of contraband through a UAS.?
- Maryland House Bill 303 – This measure is scheduled for a hearing in the House Judiciary Committee on January 30th. It prohibits a unit of the State from conducting persistent aerial surveillance to gather evidence in a criminal investigation unless certain circumstances are met.
Elizabeth Sila is Manager, Government Affairs at AUVSI.
