The National Press Photographers Association says it wants California Governor Jerry Brown to veto a bill that would restrict drone flights over private property.
California Senate Bill 142 would restrict drones to flying between 350 and 400 feet and would open up news organizations to lawsuits if a news gathering drone flew over private property without permission. SB 142 sits on the Governor’s desk after being passed by the Assembly and the Senate.
In a letter it sent to Governor Brown, the NPPA writes, “We believe this bill will unduly restrict the development of new uses for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) by establishing a technology-specific restriction that is impossible to comply with, impossible to enforce, and likely will conflict with the existing authority and proposed new regulations of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).”
“The chilling legal repercussions of this bill will tax an overburdened court system and thwart the federal government’s efforts, in which we are participating, to bring about a sensible regulatory regime for this new technology.”