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 SENATE  AUGUST 2, 2016
	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
  FAA  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.   any area  
prohibited by local   , state, or federal law.  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 require
the Department of Transportation to set the amount of liability
protection that is adequate. The bill would make the provision
requiring adequate protection against liability operative on January
1, 2020.  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
  yes  . 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.   any
area prohibited by local, state, or federal law. 
   9585.   (a)    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. 
   (b) The Department of Transportation shall set the amount of
liability protection that is adequate.  
   (c) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2020. 
   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   FAA
 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.