A Drone bill is closer to being sent to Governor Mary Fallin for signature into law. House Bill 2599, authored by Sen. Ron Sharp would restrict flights of unmanned aircraft over “critical infrastructure” less than 400 feet above ground or past their fence lines.
The Senate passed the measure last week and returned it to the House for consideration of Senate amendments.
“What fences and barriers do to prevent trespassers at critical sites, House Bill 2599 is trying to do in the airspace with new technology of unmanned aircraft,” explained the Shawnee Republican. “Concerns have been raised that this bill isn’t needed because federal regulations already prohibit unmanned aircraft over such facilities. However, the FAA regulations are only guidelines to pilots and operators of unmanned aircraft to avoid such airspace, but thee is not a strict prohibition currently.”
His bill defines “critical infrastructure” as locations that are completed fenced in or obviously marked to prevent intruders such as refineries, electric power generation facilities, gas processing sites, water treatment plants and dams.
The Senate amended the bill to require signs on critical infrastructure property to also forbid flights of drones.
