Commercial drone operators need to be aware not only of federal regulation but also the limitations states impose, says Jeremiah Karpowicz, executive editor for Commercial UAV News.
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There are huge variations in drone regulation between states[/caption]
“Most commercial operators are familiar with what they can and cannot do under Part 107, but it’s come a surprise to some that FAA regulation is not the only thing they have to be concerned with to legally take a drone into the sky.” he says.
“The interaction between federal and state law regarding drones has been an ongoing debate and issue, with some states rolling out fairly nuanced laws while others haven’t dealt with it at all,” he says, promoting a new book by Steve Hogan available free from Dronelawtoday.com. This resource explains in what operators need to know about the rules a particular state has or hasn’t established.
Variations between states are huge: Alabama, Minnesota, Massachusetts and Washington have not passed any laws addressing drone technology while Tennessee, Utah and Texas have some very nuanced and detailed laws on the books.
Steve Hogan said: “Alabama has been studying the issue for a while now. It speaks well for them, frankly, that they have not rushed headlong into passing a law that may have unintended consequences. Florida rushed a law onto the books in 2013 and we’re still dealing with the fallout.”
“The only constant in the drone industry is change! I gave up predicting the future long ago in this industry. You just have to surf the wave. Things will happen, and the lawyers will be there to help the entrepreneurs figure it out.”
