Bill Text: NJ SR41 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Urges FAA to expand restrictions on flights of unmanned aerial vehicles.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-02-05 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Law and Public Safety Committee [SR41 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2018-SR41-Introduced.html

SENATE RESOLUTION No. 41

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

218th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 5, 2018

 


 

Sponsored by:

Senator  RICHARD J. CODEY

District 27 (Essex and Morris)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Urges FAA to expand restrictions on flights of unmanned aerial vehicles.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

  


A Senate Resolution urging the Federal Aviation Administration to promulgate rules and regulations expanding prohibitions of unmanned aerial vehicle flights over populated areas.

 

Whereas, Pursuant to the "FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012," Pub. L. 112-95, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is responsible for regulating unmanned aerial vehicles, also known as drones; and

Whereas, Pursuant to this act, the FAA is charged with determining whether certain unmanned aerial vehicles may operate safely in the national airspace system and, if it is determined that safe operation is possible, the FAA is required to establish requirements for the safe operation of these vehicles in the national airspace system; and

Whereas, The FAA has restricted the flight of unmanned aerial vehicles over certain populated areas, such as aerial demonstrations and major sporting events; and

Whereas, Current FAA restrictions do not adequately regulate flights of unmanned aerial vehicles and, therefore, do not sufficiently protect against potential risk of harm caused by these vehicles; and

Whereas, Flight of unmanned aerial vehicles currently is restricted over stadiums during Major League Baseball, National Football League, and NCAA football games, and motor speedway events; and

Whereas, Unmanned aerial vehicles have been reported over parades and have crashed into the stands of stadiums at sporting events where flight is not currently restricted by the FAA; and

Whereas, The FAA recently reported a drastic increase in pilot sightings of unmanned aerial vehicles from a total of 238 in 2014 to more than 650 sightings as of August 2015; and

Whereas, During a nine-month period, from March through November of 2014, approximately 25 incidents were reported where an unmanned aerial vehicle nearly collided with a manned aircraft in midair, sometimes requiring evasive action; and

Whereas, If not properly regulated by the FAA, future incidents involving unmanned aerial vehicles could put hundreds of airplane passengers, spectators, and other citizens in serious danger; and

Whereas, Promulgation by the FAA of regulations which expand restrictions to strictly prohibit the flight of unmanned aerial vehicles over all sporting events, parades, and other sensitive locations is imperative in order to prevent serious future and foreseeable harm; now, therefore,

 

     Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.    This House urges the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to promulgate rules which prohibit flight of unmanned aerial vehicles over all sporting events, parades, and other sensitive locations.

 

     2.    Copies of this resolution, as filed by the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This resolution urges the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to promulgate rules and regulations to further restrict the flight of unmanned aerial vehicles, also known as drones, over certain populated areas.

     Pursuant to the "FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012," Pub. L. 112-95, the FAA is responsible for regulating unmanned aerial vehicles.  Under the act, the FAA is charged with determining whether certain unmanned aerial vehicles may operate safely in the national airspace system and, if it is determined that safe operation is possible, the FAA is required to establish requirements for the safe operation of these vehicles.

     The FAA has restricted the flight of unmanned aerial vehicles over certain populated areas, such as aerial demonstrations and major sporting events.  While flight of these vehicles currently is prohibited over stadiums during Major League Baseball, National Football League and NCAA football games, and motor speedway events, current restrictions do not adequately regulate the flight of these unmanned vehicles and, therefore, do not sufficiently protect against the potential risk of harm they may cause.  Unmanned aerial vehicles have been reported over parades, and have crashed into the stands of stadiums at sporting events, including a US Open tennis match, where flight is not currently restricted by the FAA.

     The FAA recently reported a drastic increase in pilot sightings of unmanned aerial vehicles from a total of 238 in 2014 to more than 650 sightings as of August 2015.  In addition, during a nine-month period, from March through November of 2014, approximately 25 incidents were reported where an unmanned aerial vehicle nearly collided midair with a manned aircraft, sometimes requiring evasive action. 

     If not properly regulated by the FAA, future incidents involving unmanned aerial vehicles could put hundreds of airplane passengers, spectators, and other citizens in serious danger.  Promulgation by the FAA of regulations which would expand restrictions to strictly prohibit the flight of unmanned aerial vehicles over all sporting events, parades, and other sensitive locations is imperative in order to prevent serious future and foreseeable harm.

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