AB 1724, as introduced, Waldron. Unmanned aircraft: identification requirements.
Existing federal law, the Federal Aviation Administration Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, provides for the integration of civil and public unmanned aircraft systems, commonly known as drones, into the national airspace system. Existing federal law generally requires an aircraft to be registered with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), prohibits a person from operating a United States registered aircraft unless that aircraft displays specified nationality and registration marks, and, unless authorized by the FAA, prohibits a person from placing on any aircraft a design, mark, or symbol that modifies or confuses those nationality and registration marks.
This bill would require, beginning January 1, 2017, a person or public or private entity that owns or operates an unmanned aircraft, as defined, to place specified identifying information or digitally store identifying information on that unmanned aircraft. The bill would exempt model aircraft, as defined, from that requirement. The bill would make a person or entity that violates that provision liable for a civil fine not to exceed $2,500. The bill would authorize the Attorney General, a district attorney, county counsel, or a city attorney to bring an action to recover that fine, as specified.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Division 16.8 (commencing with Section 39100)
2is added to the Vehicle Code, to read:
3
For the purposes of this division, both of the following
7definitions shall apply:
8(a) “Unmanned aircraft” means an aircraft that is operated
9without the possibility of direct human intervention from within
10or on the aircraft.
11(b) “Model aircraft” means an unmanned aircraft that is all of
12the following:
13(1) Capable of sustained flight in the atmosphere.
14(2) Flown within visual line of sight of the person operating the
15aircraft.
16(3) Flown strictly for hobby or recreational purposes.
17(4) Does not weigh more than 55 pounds.
(a) Beginning January 1, 2017, a person or public or
19private entity that owns or operates an unmanned aircraft that is
20not a model aircraft within this state shall do any of the following:
21(1) Legibly and permanently affix, stamp, or mark on the
22unmanned aircraft, in a size that can be read by the naked eye
23without the use of magnification, identifying information that
24indicates each of the following:
25(A) The name of the owner of the unmanned aircraft.
26(B) The residential or business address of the owner of the
27unmanned aircraft.
28(C) The telephone
number of the owner of the unmanned
29aircraft.
30(2) Store the information specified in paragraph (1) in a digital
31format on the unmanned aircraft. The digital information shall be
32stored in a manner that is readily accessible and retrievable.
33(3) Legibly and permanently affix, stamp, or mark on the
34unmanned aircraft, in a size that can be read by the naked eye
P3 1without the use of magnification, an address for an active Internet
2Web site that lists the information specified in paragraph (1).
3(b) If a person or public or private entity that owns or operates
4an unmanned aircraft affixes, stamps, or marks on the unmanned
5aircraft pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a), the person or
6public or private entity shall do so in a way that does not modify
7or confuse the nationality or registration marks required by the
8
Federal Aviation Administration.
A person or public or private entity that violates the
10provisions of Section 39101 shall be liable for a civil fine not to
11exceed two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500). A proceeding
12to recover the civil fines specified in this section may be brought
13in any court of competent jurisdiction by the Attorney General, a
14district attorney, county counsel, or a city attorney. Revenue from
15any fines collected pursuant to this section shall be deposited into
16the general fund for the city, county, or city and county, that
17brought the case, or, if brought by the Attorney General, the
18General Fund of this state.
This division is not intended to conflict with or
20supersede federal law, including rules and regulations of the
21Federal Aviation Administration.
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