Measure Would Allow Local And State Agencies To Begin Using Unmanned Aircraft

A bill making its way through the North Carolina Legislature would allow local and state agencies to begin using UAVs, and move the state closer to approval of civilian use.

Senate bill 446 passed the state House 106-4. It went back to the state senate for reconciliation of minor amendments before final passage.

The website the News & Observer (www.newsobserver.com) reports that the bill modifies a state law that currently bars state and local government agencies from flying small UAVs in all but a very limited number of circumstances. It also makes it easier for the state chief information officer to approve use of the aircraft by law enforcement, emergency management, environmental, and scientific entities.

North Carolina has strong privacy laws related to UAV use. State Rep. John Torbett said that a UAV operator can be fined up to $5,000 for taking a photo of someone without their permission using a UAV. “People operating these could actually commit an act of terror under federal law, or an act of terror under North Carolina law,” he said during debate on the house floor.

The law makes the state DOT responsible for issuing permits for both agencies and individual operators who will eventually be licensed by the FAA. The state is also developing a "knowledge test" that will be required before a UAV can be operated in North Carolina. The DOT would be ready to issue permits within 60 days after the FAA begins to issue licenses, according to the report.

Bobby Walston, the state Department of Transportation’s Division of Aviation director, said the FAA will likely begin issuing those licenses in the next one to two years, and that North Carolina's regulations are being designed to "compliment" the FAA's new rules.

FMI:  http://www.ncleg.net/gascripts/BillLookUp/BillLookUp.pl?Session=2015&BillID=s446