Published April 18, 2013 - Associated Press
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida Legislature has passed a bill limiting law enforcement agencies' use of the remotely controlled aircraft known as drones.
The House unanimously approved the Senate's bill (SB 92) 117-0 on Wednesday with no debate.
It now goes to Gov. Rick Scott. The governor has previously said he would sign it into law.
The measure restricts the use of drones to the prevention of imminent danger to life -- a kidnapping or a missing child -- or serious damage to property.
It also makes police get search warrants before using drones to collect evidence. An exception would be a credible threat of a terrorist attack.
Only three law enforcement agencies in Florida are currently licensed by the federal government to fly drones. None are yet using them.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/04/18/florida-lawmakers-pass-drone-control-bill/#ixzz2QqwS5Maf
Comments
That picture is so old, the guy is now younger than me.
@Hunter
I almost posted a similar response. The "I have nothing to hide" retort is scary to say the least, our rights as citizens must be preserved regardless of the technology. This technology will aid LE in many difficult tasks they currently use full sized helicopters on and I am all for this, however I do not want someone to fly a "drone" through my property looking for reasons to fine or arrest me without a warrant, that is my right. I believe most on this board have a similar outlook.
Drones good, breach of our constitutional rights... bad.
This bill only provides LE with a more directed vision of how they can use the drones, however at the same time the reinforcement of the search warrant is a bit redundant but still welcomed.
Digital Wings,
Without getting into a political debate...read the 4th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Regardless if I have nothing to hide, law enforcement have no right to conduct unlawful searches of people's private residence or property without consent.
I am thrilled taht this technology is being limited to law enforcement. When government gets its hands on new technology, they exploit it and make it "neccessary" to use it against its own people. Restrictions to LE should have NO effect on general population use. If the government comes back and says, "If we can't have them, you can't have them," then we know, for sure, the intent of our government.
Not only a search warrant but I think they shut the airspace down when their using it.
I remember an article a while ago about Miami getting a T-Hawk but having to close the airspace to use it.
http://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/aerospace/aviation/honeywells-rq...
If the article's summary is correct
"The measure restricts the use of drones to the prevention of imminent danger to life -- a kidnapping or a missing child -- or serious damage to property.
It also makes police get search warrants before using drones to collect evidence. An exception would be a credible threat of terrorist attack."
Are "drones" really at a point yet that they should be used for more than that? They obviously shouldn't be flown over populated areas, so restricting them to emergency response seems proper. The other statement is slightly contradictory and makes it sound like they can use them for many purposes but must have a search warrant. It makes sense that you shouldn't be able to use a drone to enter a private residence and collect reconnaissance without a search warrant.
As a private operator I do not feel threatened by this law.
I simply do not understand what these politicians are thinking!
One of the greatest tools for crime fighting to come along in a long time, and paranoia is killing it's use.
This is sad.
And so it begins...:-(