Buzz off: Arizona Legislature mulling bill to control drone use
Feb 16, 2016, 12:33 PM
(AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
(AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
PHOENIX — The Arizona Legislature is mulling a bill to control drone use statewide after businesses said they are concerned local laws could make it confusing to use the technology.
“They are very much concerned that individual towns and cities will pass separate laws creating a mish-mosh of 91 drone ordinances in Arizona,” state Rep. John Kavanagh said.
In response to businesses’ concern, Kavanagh sponsored Senate Bill 1449. It looks to strike a balance between safety and privacy concerns and commercial and enthusiast interests.
“Take into account the concern of business to have a uniform, reasonable policy, and the concerns of cities and towns to protect against voyeurism and to allow the reasonable use of drones by law enforcement,” he said of what SB 1449 would seek to achieve.
Kavanagh said he also sought input from cities before drafting the bill.
Some businesses, such as Amazon, have predicted drones could carry out deliveries in as little as 30 minutes. The massive online company has previously said it has a program ready to go, pending the implementation of government regulations.
Kavanagh said he expects the bill to get its initial Senate committee hearing on Tuesday, just days before the deadline to introduce bills.
KTAR’s Brian Rackham and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
