Bill Text: NY A01515 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced

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

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Bill Title: Regulates the use of unmanned aircrafts in the state; defines terms; authorizes permitted uses of unmanned aircrafts; restricts use of unmanned aircrafts; makes related provisions.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-08 - referred to transportation [A01515 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-A01515-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
                                          1515
                               2019-2020 Regular Sessions
                   IN ASSEMBLY
                                    January 15, 2019
                                       ___________
        Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  MAGNARELLI  -- read once and referred to the
          Committee on Transportation
        AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation  to  regulating
          the use of unmanned aircraft in the state
          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
     1    Section 1. The vehicle and traffic law is  amended  by  adding  a  new
     2  article 48-D to read as follows:
     3                                ARTICLE 48-D
     4                              UNMANNED AIRCRAFT
     5  Section 2500. Legislative purpose.
     6          2501. Definitions.
     7          2502. Permitted use of unmanned aircraft.
     8          2503. Restricted use of unmanned aircraft.
     9          2504. State preemption.
    10    §  2500. Legislative  purpose.  It  is  the purpose of this article to
    11  encourage the safe operation of unmanned aircraft and to give  users  of
    12  unmanned  aircraft  clear  rules  of  operation that also give state and
    13  local law enforcement the tools needed to protect public safety, privacy
    14  and property.  This section is intended to ensure consistency and  avoid
    15  conflict  between  local,  state  and federal law pertaining to unmanned
    16  aircraft and their use.
    17    § 2501. Definitions. 1. "Person"  means  an  individual,  partnership,
    18  corporation, association, governmental entity, or other legal entity.
    19    2. "Political subdivision" means a county, city, village, township, or
    20  other  department,  agency,  political  subdivision, public corporation,
    21  authority, or district in this state.
    22    3. "Unmanned aircraft" means an aircraft operated without  the  possi-
    23  bility of direct human intervention from within or on the aircraft.
    24    4.  "Unmanned  aircraft system" means an unmanned aircraft and associ-
    25  ated elements, including communication links and components that control
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD00207-01-9
        A. 1515                             2
     1  the unmanned aircraft that are required for  the  pilot  in  command  to
     2  operate safely and efficiently.
     3    §  2502. Permitted use of unmanned aircraft. 1. The flight of unmanned
     4  aircraft over the land and waters of this state is lawful.
     5    2. A person may operate an unmanned aircraft system in this state  for
     6  commercial  or  recreational purposes if the unmanned aircraft system is
     7  operated in a manner consistent with federal law and regulation.
     8    § 2503. Restricted use of unmanned aircraft. 1. A person operating  an
     9  unmanned  aircraft  shall  not  interfere with manned aircraft and shall
    10  always give right of way to manned aircraft.
    11    2. A person operating an unmanned  aircraft  shall  not  intentionally
    12  operate an unmanned aircraft in a manner that is imminently dangerous to
    13  persons or property lawfully on the land or water beneath.
    14    3.  A  person  operating  an unmanned aircraft shall not intentionally
    15  operate an unmanned aircraft in a manner that  constitutes  a  frequent,
    16  repetitive, substantial and unreasonable nuisance.
    17    4.  A  person  operating  an  unmanned  aircraft  shall not operate an
    18  unmanned aircraft in this state without first complying with all  appli-
    19  cable  licensing, registration, and marking requirements required by the
    20  Federal Aviation Administration.
    21    5. A person operating  an  unmanned  aircraft  shall  not  operate  in
    22  violation  of  any  flight  restriction  issued  by the Federal Aviation
    23  Administration.
    24    6. A person shall not knowingly and intentionally operate an  unmanned
    25  aircraft  system  in a manner that unreasonably obstructs with the offi-
    26  cial duties of any of the following:  (a) a police  officer;  (b)  fire-
    27  fighter; (c) paramedic; or (d) search and rescue personnel.
    28    7.  A person shall not knowingly and intentionally operate an unmanned
    29  aircraft system to subject an individual to harassment. As used in  this
    30  subdivision, "harassment" means that term as defined in sections 240.25,
    31  240.26, 240.30 or 240.31 of the penal law.
    32    8.  A person shall not knowingly and intentionally operate an unmanned
    33  aircraft system within a distance that, if the  person  were  to  do  so
    34  personally rather than through remote operation of an unmanned aircraft,
    35  would be a violation of a restraining order or other judicial order.
    36    9.  This  section  does  not  affect  the ability to investigate or to
    37  arrest, prosecute, or convict an individual for any other violation of a
    38  law of this state.
    39    § 2504. State preemption.  1. The authority to regulate the  ownership
    40  or operation of unmanned aircraft is vested solely in the state.
    41    2.  Except as expressly authorized by statute, a political subdivision
    42  shall not enact or enforce an ordinance or resolution that regulates the
    43  ownership or operation of unmanned aircraft or otherwise engage  in  the
    44  regulation of the ownership or operation of unmanned aircraft.
    45    3.  Notwithstanding subdivisions one and two of this section, a subdi-
    46  vision may promulgate rules, regulations, and ordinances for the use  of
    47  unmanned aircraft systems by the political subdivision within the bound-
    48  aries of the political subdivision.
    49    4. This article does not affect federal preemption of state law.
    50    § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.