2015 -- H 5453

========

LC000980

========

     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2015

____________

A N   A C T

RELATING TO AERONAUTICS

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Gallison, Carnevale, Tanzi, Solomon, and Casey

     Date Introduced: February 12, 2015

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

1

     SECTION 1. Title 1 of the General Laws entitled "AERONAUTICS" is hereby amended

2

by adding thereto the following chapter:

3

CHAPTER 8

4

THE RHODE ISLAND UNPILOTED AERIAL VEHICLES ACT OF 2015

5

     1-8-1. Short title. – This chapter shall be known and may be cited as "The Rhode Island

6

Unpiloted Aerial Vehicles Act of 2015."

7

     1-8-2. Exclusive aerial regulations. – The state of Rhode Island shall have exclusive

8

legal authority to regulate any unpiloted aerial vehicles, remotely piloted aircraft, or unmanned

9

aircraft systems, hereinafter referred to and described as "drones."

10

     1-8-3. Registration. – (a) Any drone sold, possessed, or operated in Rhode Island must

11

be registered with the department of public safety.

12

     (b) Information provided in accordance with § 1-8-3(a) must include the drone's serial

13

number, name of manufacturer, specifications, and any other available identifying information.

14

     (c) The registration required by § 1-8-3(a) shall be subject to a fifteen dollar ($15.00)

15

registration fee payable to the department of public safety.

16

     1-8-4. Areas of prohibited operation. – (a) No drone shall be operated:

17

     (1) Within five (5) miles of T.F. Green state airport and the Quonset Point naval air

18

station;

19

     (2) Within five (5) miles of any military installation;

 

1

     (3) Within two (2) miles of any other state airport;

2

     (4) Within two (2) miles of any emergency aeronautic vehicle, including, without

3

limitation, a medi-vac helicopter;

4

     (5) Within one-half (1/2) mile of any government building;

5

     (6) Within one-half (1/2) mile of any school, college, or university.

6

     SECTION 2. Chapter 11-64 of the General Laws entitled "Electronic Imaging Devices"

7

is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

8

     11-64-3. Invasion of privacy by drone. – (a) No person shall use a drone, as defined in §

9

1-8-2, equipped with a device capable of capturing, recording, storing, or transmitting visual

10

images, to look into an occupied dwelling house or other building.

11

     (b) A person found guilty of the crime of invasion of privacy by drone shall be

12

imprisoned for not more than three (3) years in jail and/or fined not more than five thousand

13

dollars ($5,000).

14

     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

========

LC000980

========

 

LC000980 - Page 2 of 3

EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO AERONAUTICS

***

1

     This act would establish registration requirements and operational restrictions for

2

unpiloted aerial vehicles, remotely piloted aircraft and unmanned aircraft systems, and would

3

criminalize the invasion of privacy by use of such aircraft.

4

     This act would take effect upon passage.

========

LC000980

========

 

LC000980 - Page 3 of 3