Bill > HB425

This bill amends Ohio law to establish comprehensive regulations for unmanned aerial vehicle (drone) usage, focusing on preventing unauthorized surveillance and trespassing. The legislation defines key terms such as "unmanned aerial vehicle" (a piloted drone that can fly autonomously) and "critical facility" (which includes infrastructure like military installations, courts, hospitals, and prisons). The bill prohibits several specific drone-related activities without proper authorization, including operating a drone over another person's property, recording individuals in private spaces, capturing images of private property, and deploying substances or objects from a drone. Specifically, the bill makes it illegal to knowingly fly a drone over private land, record people in areas with a reasonable expectation of privacy, or film private property without permission. Violations of these provisions are classified as a fourth-degree misdemeanor, which typically carries potential penalties like fines and/or short-term imprisonment. The legislation aims to protect individual privacy and property rights by establishing clear legal boundaries for drone usage, reflecting growing concerns about technological intrusion and potential misuse of aerial surveillance technologies.

Transportation and Infrastructure

https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/136/hb425