Bill Text: CA AB2724 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Unmanned aircraft.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Vetoed) 2016-09-29 - Vetoed by Governor. [AB2724 Detail]

Download: California-2015-AB2724-Amended.html

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BILL NUMBER: AB 2724	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JUNE 1, 2016
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 5, 2016
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 17, 2016

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Gatto

                        FEBRUARY 19, 2016

   An act to add Part 7 (commencing with Section 9570) to Division 4
of the Civil Code, relating to unmanned aircraft.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2724, as amended, Gatto. Unmanned aircraft.
   Existing federal law, the Federal Aviation Administration
Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (FMRA 2012), provides for the
integration of civil and public unmanned aircraft systems, commonly
known as drones, into the national airspace system. Existing federal
law imposes various operational safety requirements and aircraft
certification requirements on aircraft, including unmanned aircraft.
Existing federal law also generally requires an aircraft to be
registered with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and except
as provided, prohibits a person from operating a United States
registered aircraft unless that aircraft displays specified
nationality and registration marks or from placing on any aircraft a
design, mark, or symbol that modifies or confuses those nationality
and registration marks. Existing federal law establishes an online
and paper-based registration process for specified types of unmanned
aircraft systems.
   This bill would require a person who manufactures an unmanned
aircraft for sale in this state to include with the unmanned aircraft
a copy of FAA safety regulations applicable to unmanned aircraft
and, if the unmanned aircraft is required to be registered with the
FAA, a notification of that requirement. The bill would require an
unmanned aircraft equipped with global positioning satellite mapping
capabilities to also be equipped with geofencing technological
capabilities that prohibit the unmanned aircraft from flying within 5
miles of an airport. The bill would require the owner of an unmanned
aircraft to procure adequate protection against liability imposed by
law on owners of unmanned aircraft, including the payment of damages
for personal bodily injuries and death, and for property damage,
resulting from the operation of the unmanned aircraft. The bill would
exempt from its provisions an unmanned aircraft operated pursuant to
a current commercial operator exemption issued pursuant to FMRA 2012
or other commercial operator authorization granted by the FAA. The
bill would provide that if any provision or its application is held
invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions or
applications that can be given effect without the invalid provision
or application.  The bill would provide that its provisions would
become operative on January 1, 2020. 
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Part 7 (commencing with Section 9570) is added to
Division 4 of the Civil Code, to read:

      PART 7.  Unmanned Aircraft


   9570.  This part shall be known and may be cited as the Drone
Registration Omnibus Negligence Prevention Enactment (DRONE) Act.
   9575.  As used in this part, "unmanned aircraft" means an aircraft
that is operated without the possibility of direct human
intervention from within or on the aircraft.
   9580.  (a) A person who manufactures an unmanned aircraft for sale
in this state shall include with the unmanned aircraft both of the
following:
   (1) A copy of Federal Aviation Administration safety regulations
applicable to unmanned aircraft.
   (2) If the unmanned aircraft is required to be registered with the
Federal Aviation Administration, a notification of that requirement.

   (b) An unmanned aircraft equipped with global positioning
satellite mapping capabilities shall also be equipped with geofencing
technological capabilities that prohibit the unmanned aircraft from
flying within five miles of an airport.
   9585.  The owner of an unmanned aircraft shall procure adequate
protection against liability imposed by law on owners of unmanned
aircraft, including the payment of damages for personal bodily
injuries and death, and for property damage, resulting from the
operation of the unmanned aircraft.
   9590.  This part does not apply to an unmanned aircraft operated
pursuant to a current commercial operator exemption issued pursuant
to Section 333 of the Federal Aviation Modernization and Reform Act
of 2012 (Public Law 112-95 (Feb. 12, 2014) 126 Stat. 11, 75-76) or
other commercial operator authorization granted by the Federal
Aviation Administration.
   9595.  The provisions of this part are severable. If any provision
of this part or its application is held invalid, that invalidity
shall not affect other provisions or applications that can be given
effect without the invalid provision or application. 
   9600.  This part shall become operative on January 1, 2020.