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‘No Drone Zone’ in Virginia?

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Key Takeaways:

  • The Charlottesville, VA, City Council passed a resolution calling for legislation to prohibit information obtained from domestic drone use from being introduced into federal or state courts, citing privacy concerns.
  • The resolution also pledges that Charlottesville will abstain from similar uses with city-owned drones, despite acknowledging its limited immediate legal effect due to federal mandates.
  • This local action is part of a broader trend, with lawmakers in at least 10 other U.S. states proposing restrictions on domestic drone use amidst concerns over potential government surveillance.
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As the rise of pilotless drones in U.S. airspace becomes more prevalent, some local and state governments are adopting measures to curtail their use. On Monday, the Charlottesville, Virginia, city council became the latest to do so, voting 3-2 in favor of a resolution that “calls on the United States Congress and the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia to adopt legislation prohibiting information obtained from the domestic use of drones from being introduced into a federal or state court.”

“If we don’t get out ahead of [the privacy issue] to establish some guidelines for how drones are used, they will be used in a very invasive way and we’ll be left to try and pick up the pieces,” said Dede Smith, a city councilmember in Charlottesville.

Mark Phelps

Mark Phelps is a senior editor at AVweb. He is an instrument rated private pilot and former owner of a Grumman American AA1B and a V-tail Bonanza.

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