A pair of draft bills introduced to Ohio’s legislature outlines restrictions for drone flights by both private individuals and police forces in what, if passed, would be the state’s first laws regulating operation beyond Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) guidelines.
The initiative follows several attempts by Ohio lawmakers in recent years to set legal boundaries for private and police drone operation, all of which have foundered after failing to obtain bipartisan support. The new House Bills 485 and 486 were introduced by a Republican state senator backed by three party peers, and is considered to have a fair shot at passage. Through them, supporters hope to usher Ohio in to the group of nine states that have similar UAV laws on the books.
HB485 reportedly seeks to go beyond the basic FAA guidelines of drone flights by private pilots by placing what might be termed “don’t be a jerk” restrictions on operation. It would prohibit use of…
