New Utah Law Lets Authorities Jam, Crash Drones at Wildfires

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Utah's governor has signed into law a measure that makes the state the first to let authorities jam drone signals and crash the devices specifically for flying too close to wildfires.

Republican Gov. Gary Herbert's office announced Monday that he signed the law over the weekend, just days after lawmakers met in a special session to pass it and a handful of other bills.

State Sen. Evan Vickers, who co-sponsored the law, says it technically allows firefighters and law enforcement to shoot down drones, but they probably won't do that because it's too difficult. Instead, authorities are expected to use technology that jams signals and crashes drones.

Utah passed the law after a drone recently was sighted five times over one wildfire, causing firefighters to ground their aircraft and slow their work.


Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/utah-law-lets-authorities-jam-crash-drones-wildfires-40680547

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By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS SALT LAKE CITY — Jul 18, 2016, 6:48 PM ET

Short article. No more at link.

[Sherman A1]

1. I believe they may have a problem

With that. Unless something has changed, anything above ground level is Federal Airspace.

[LongtimeAZDem]

2. While I understant their reasoning, they lack the authority to do so

The FAA and the FCC have jurisdiction

[Travis_0004]

3. The FAA will assign Temporary flight restrictions

When those are in effect, nobody is allowed to fly into the area without permission from the response commander, who serves as air traffic control and is employed by the US forest service.

I don't have a problem knocking a drone out of the sky that is violating a TFR, and interfering with operations. Lives are at risk. Get it out of the sky, and get some water on the fire.

[LongtimeAZDem]

4. I agreee wholeheratedly, and I don't have a problem with it in principle, either

I think they'll have to hammer out the jurisdiction in the courts, but I have no problem with downing them in the meantime, and prosecuting the owners for conspiracy to commit arson.

[Travis_0004]

5. The FAA could update the TFR rules for fires

For example, if you fly into a presidental TFR, use of deadly force is specificlly authorized. Not that the military needs the FAA permission, but it says so right on the order.

The FAA should add the same line FOR DRONE AIRCRAFT.

Any drone aircraft not specifically authorized my be shot down.

I realize that no drone pilots read TFR's before flying, but once you knock a few out of the sky, the rest will learn.

[LongtimeAZDem]

6. Actually, due to drone registration, they should get the TFRs

I got them after I joined AMA when I started flying R/C.

[SusanLarson]

7. Consumer drones at wildfires

These aircraft are more at risk from birds than from consumer drones, yet I don't see the state shooting them out of the sky at wildfires.

"Of the 160,000 bird strikes recorded since 1990, 14,314 caused damage, revealed the analysis. About 80% of the damage was done by birds such as turkey vultures and geese, which significantly outweigh domestic drones...About 97% of the strikes that involved small birds did no damage to the aircraft they hit, said the researchers....While there have been wildlife strikes that did cause fatalities, none involved a bird that was similar in size to a domestic drone, they said."


"One damaging incident will occur no more than every 1.87 million years of 2kg [drone] flight time," said the researchers. Fatal incidents will be even rarer.

[SwankyXomb]

8. Five bucks says the first thing they knock down

is one of the firefighting aircraft.