Sen Tomes has introduced SB 20 concerning the use of drones to monitor people. The bill would make it a Class D felony to monitor or observe an individual by using an “unmanned aerial vehicle” without the consent of the subject of the observation. It would also prohibit the use of evidence obtained through such monitoring by law enforcement as evidence in a judicial or administrative proceeding.
I’m not unsympathetic to this legislation, but I think the genie is out of the bottle in terms of being observed surreptitiously. If I’m reading this correctly, it would prohibit Google from using satellite imagery to update its maps. I think we’re in the Panopticon and we might just need to come to grips with that.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
In the aftermath of the VietNam War, helicopter pilots were readily available so helicopters were used in Indiana and elsewhere by police departments & TV stations. Where were the anti-drone-surveillance legislators then? Drones are a lot cheaper — even Mulberry could afford a couple !
Hmm.. maybe that means the Attorney General could charge the President with Impeachment so long as Bishop Kruse says the correct Lord’s Prayer over the paperwork?
Drones are occasionally used to observe and document animal abuse on large farms and ranches. The agricultural lobby may have their paws in this legislation.
I don’t think this would affect Google Maps et al, as those are static images unusable for surveillance. If we want to get pedantic (we do, don’t we?), the satellites aren’t aerial vehicles, as they are in space.
Don’t confuse these with (Senator) Kruse missiles which may be hovering over public school’s to make sure the correct version of the Lord’s Prayer is being recited.
Tomes is on the ag committe, so ag is probably behind it. Drones are used by the BLM out west to determine compliance on leased ranch land. And animal rights groups use small drones to overfly farms and ranches.
I alerted the Animal Legal Defense Fund of the law.