NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP/WMOT) — A bill that will limit the way Tennessee law enforcement agencies can use unmanned drone aircraft is advancing in the state legislature.
Drones are a hot topic both in Congress and on the state levels as the technology has rapidly outpaced regulations on the use of remotely piloted aircraft domestically.
The bill's sponsor, Senator Mae Beavers, says the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, as well as the Nashville and Memphis Police Departments are already using drones.
“Drones can be used for a number of different things to actually invade our privacy and so we just want to make sure that if law enforcement use drones that they have to have a search warrant before they can use it, or the evidence cannot be used in court.”
Beavers is hoping to get her bill to the Senate floor this week.
The bill does not prohibit drones if police believe there's imminent danger to life, or in domestic terror cases.