If you live in
New Jersey and enjoy having a few beers before or while using your drone, you
may need to start counting your drinks. New legislation in the Garden State may
soon prohibit piloting a drone while drunk, as CBS News reports.
An Assembly committee met on Monday to discuss the situation and will vote in
the Senate on Thursday, with both chambers currently run by Democrats.
Of course, the Federal Aviation Administration
already includes regulations regarding drunk droning, but New Jersey is intent
on doubling down in an effort to focus on both public safety and the potential
criminal activities involving drones.
“Establishing
clear guidelines about how they can and cannot be used can help preserve public
safety and prevent people from using them as criminal accessories,” said co-sponsor of the legislation in question,
Assemblyman Vincent Mazzeo.
Regarding the
law itself, piloting a drone while drunk would be considered a "disorderly
persons offense," and result in a sentence of up to six months in prison,
a $1,000 fine, or both. However, this particular legislation is also a response
to the recent concerns that prison officials and search-and-rescue officials have had with
irresponsible drone use. Once passed, this bill will criminalize drone use near
correctional facilities, or impeding efforts of first responders via
drone.
It makes sense
that drone legislation can no longer ignore the increasingly common issues
prison authorities and first response teams have been facing regarding
unwelcome UAVs. These incidents have been
occurring more frequently all over the U.S. in
the past few months. According to CBS News, states like Illinois, Michigan, and
Wisconsin, have already actively proposed similar legislation against drone use
near correctional facilities.
Ultimately, not everyone agrees with the proposed
change in New Jersey law. Miles Abrams, Executive of Falcon Drones in
Bridgewater, New Jersey, feels this is a clear case of governmental
overreach.
“Make laws that
make for good behavior, not good headlines,” he urged, hoping the
lawmakers involved use more restraint. Stay tuned as we keep an eye on this
situation, and watch it pan out in Abrams’ favor or not.
(Evangle Luo of TTFLY shared with you)
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