Willis Codifies Federal, State UAV Law with Governor's Signature

COLUMBUS – Ohio will join the growing lists of states to establish local unmanned aerial vehicle laws thanks to State Representative Bernie Willis’ (R-Springfield) legislation that was signed by the Governor Wednesday. 

Licensure and pilot responsibility of an unmanned aircraft are already regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration. Willis’ legislation will codify these federal laws and will create four prohibited flying areas or operations as state law. 

“Ohio will now have the ability to prosecute their own UAV laws that mirror federal law,” said Willis. “This legislation doesn’t create any new licensure regulations for UAV pilots. It allows Ohio to have local control of our airspace and hold pilots that are operating in an unsafe manner accountable without having to find a U.S. attorney to prosecute. This is a step in the right direction, but there is still more we need to do to protect our airways.”

The four prohibited flying operations are as follows:

• Operating a drone in a reckless manner that endangers others;
• Operating a drone in a way that is prohibited by FAA regulation;
• Operating a drone that interferes with first responder activities;
• Operating a drone to record or loiter over or near a critical infrastructure.

The legislation will also give local government control to further restrict operation of recreational drones in or above a park or other public property owned by the local government and will task the Ohio Department of Transportation Office of Aviation to publish all regulations relating to drone activity in the state.       

House Bill 77 will go into effect in 90 days.