Having passed the Indiana General Assembly, a bill creating misdemeanor offenses specifically related to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is on its way to the desk of Gov. Eric Holcomb for his final consideration.
According to author Sen. Eric Koch, R-Bedford, S.B.299 would establish four new Class A misdemeanor offenses to address drone-related concerns on voyeurism, harassment and public safety.
As defined by the lawmaker, the new offenses are as follows:
- Sex offender UAV offense;
- Public safety remote aerial interference (i.e., using drones to obstruct or interfere with first responders’ operations);
- Remote aerial voyeurism; and
- Remote aerial harassment.
Under Koch’s bill, if an individual has a prior conviction for the same offense involving a UAV or if an unauthorized picture or video is published or placed on the internet, the charge will be increased to a Level 6 felony.
“While the development of drone technology has a substantial benefit for society, we need to ensure they are not used to commit crimes,” Koch says.
