Sponsored by:
Senator RICHARD J. CODEY
District 27 (Essex and Morris)
Senator NICHOLAS J. SACCO
District 32 (Bergen and Hudson)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senator Greenstein
SYNOPSIS
Requires certain drones to contain geo-fencing technology; makes violation a fourth degree crime.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As reported by the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee on December 14, 2015, with amendments.
An Act concerning unmanned aerial vehicles and supplementing Title 2C of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. As used in this section:
1“Surveillance” means the act of monitoring, observing, photographing, or recording.1
“Unmanned aerial vehicle” means an aerial vehicle that uses aerodynamic forces to propel the vehicle and does not carry a human operator, and which is capable of flying autonomously or being piloted remotely and conducting surveillance as defined in this section.
1[“Surveillance” means the act of monitoring, observing, photographing, or recording.]1
b. Every unmanned aerial vehicle that is sold to or operated by a private individual or business entity in this State shall contain geo-fencing technology that prevents the unmanned aerial vehicle from operating above 500 feet and within two miles of an airport or protected airspace, including but not limited to, a stadium with a seating capacity of 30,000 or more people during a regular or post season Major League Baseball game, National Football League game, National Collegiate Athletic Association Division One football game, or a major motor speedway event.
The provisions of this section shall not apply to 1:
(1) members of1 a law enforcement agency1[,];1 fire department1[,];1 State, county, or municipal Office of Emergency Management1[,];1 the Armed Forces of the United States1[,];1 or the National Guard, while in the performance of official duties1; or
(2) private individuals or business entities that have received authorization from the Federal Aviation Administration to operate an unmanned aerial vehicle pursuant to the “FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012,” Pub.L.112-95, provided the operation of the unmanned aerial vehicle complies with any operating conditions or limitations imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration1.
c. A person who sells or operates an unmanned aerial vehicle in violation of the provisions of subsection b. of this section shall be guilty of a crime of the fourth degree.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.