Florida lawmakers are weighing a new bill that would give homeowners the right to use “reasonable force” against drones flying over their property—a move likely triggered by a spike in unexplained drone sightings last year centered around New Jersey. That “reasonable force” might involve shooting the drone out of the air under some circumstances.
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Republican state Sen. Keith L. Truenow introduced the proposal last month, and it officially made its way onto the Florida Senate’s legislative calendar on April 16.
Federal Law Does Not Allow Shooting Down Drones
Currently, federal law prohibits citizens from shooting down drones—even if they’re flying directly over private land. The FAA warns that firing at any aircraft, including drones, is dangerous and illegal.
“Shooting at an unmanned aircraft could cause it to crash, potentially harming people or property,” the FAA states on its website. They cite dangers from UAV debris hitting persons or property. Violators could face civil penalties or criminal charges at multiple levels of government.
Earlier this year, former President Trump commented on the uptick in drone reports, suggesting the aircraft were likely FAA-approved or used by hobbyists, not foreign threats. That echoes the same stance of the previous administration, which found that “mysterious” drone operations in New Jersey that generated a great deal of angst last year was actually legal operation of the devices.
Florida’s proposed law would revise the rules for dealing with drones that linger over private property. Despite potential conflicts with federal regulation, the bill has already cleared several state committees.
The FAA has declined to weigh in on the state-level effort. The agency currently oversees more than 1 million registered drones in the U.S. Drone operations are already restricted over areas deemed sensitive, such as military installations, critical infrastructure, and national landmarks.
Florida’s legislation would expand those no-fly zones to include facilities like prisons, airports, inland ports, gas pipelines, and refineries. The bill makes exceptions for law enforcement, particularly in crowd-monitoring situations involving 50 or more people.
If approved, the law would take effect in October.
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