As many states are wrestling with how to restrict the nascent domestic drone industry, North Dakota is embracing it, reports Stateline. North Dakota police don't need a warrant to use drones; the state has no laws on drones. North Dakota lobbied to be a drone test site for the federal government, and was one of six sites chosen in December by the Federal Aviation Administration to research how to integrate them into the national airspace. The others are in Alaska, Nevada, New York, Texas and Virginia.
This year, 35 states have considered measures regarding unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly known as drones. Most of them are privacy protection proposals that would restrict the use of drones and set limits on the collection and storage of data. In the last two weeks, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee vetoed a bill that would have regulated drone use by government and law enforcement. He said the legislation didn't go far enough to protect privacy rights. Utah Gov. Gary Herbert signed a bill that sets limits on law enforcement use of drone technology. The law requires law officers to obtain a search warrant before using a drone in most situations. It would also regulate what kinds of data can be collected and how long it can be stored, and it requires the data to be made public after an investigation is over. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker signed a bill that requires law enforcement to obtain a warrant before using drones except in emergency situations, and outlaws drone surveillance of people who have a reasonable expectation of privacy.