PRIA Logo™
FloridaHB 11212025House

Unmanned Aircraft and Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Sponsored By: Jennifer Canady (Republican)

Signed by Governor

AppropriationCriminal Justice SubcommitteeJudiciary CommitteeHouse CalendarRules

Personalized for You

How does this bill affect your finances?

Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.

Free to download

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

5 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 2 costs, 1 mixed.

Tougher drone penalties, limited commercial access

Beginning October 1, 2025, knowing or willful violations of infrastructure drone rules become third-degree felonies, replacing misdemeanor penalties, including the separate lower repeat-offense penalty. The rules ban flying over protected facilities, allowing drone contact, or flying close enough to interfere with operations. Commercial overflights are allowed when authorized by and compliant with Federal Aviation Administration regulations; contact and interference remain banned. Knowingly or willfully altering, possessing, or operating drones to defeat required remote-identification technology for these infrastructure violations is also a third-degree felony. That identification ban exempts conduct authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration Administrator, Defense Secretary, or their designees.

More sites receive drone flight protections

Beginning October 1, 2025, Florida's critical-infrastructure definition covers 20 categories of sites protected by special drone rules. These include power facilities; chemical and rubber facilities; water and wastewater systems; mines; gas compressors, storage, and pipelines; oil pipelines; refineries; and gas processing plants. They also include communications sites, seaports, inland freight transfer sites, airports, spaceports, military installations, and armories. Dams, locks, floodgates, dikes, state and county correctional facilities, secure detention centers, and certain residential facilities also qualify. The definition also includes sites covered by Florida's separate critical-infrastructure definition in section 692.201. Communications sites include towers, antennas, supports, and ground equipment, and must have an entry-blocking barrier or clearly visible no-entry signs. Seaports do not need to be fully fenced or signed.

Police gain more drone security uses

Beginning October 1, 2025, law enforcement may use drones for public safety or aerial views of crowds of 50 or more. Agencies must have policies on drone use and the storage, retention, and release of images and video. Those policies must also address personal safety and constitutional protections for people observed. The agency head must authorize the crowd use in writing and keep a copy on file. Agencies may also use drones to help protect elected officials under Florida's elected-official security law.

Felony penalties for armed drone possession

Beginning October 1, 2025, knowingly or willfully possessing or operating an armed drone is a third-degree felony. This covers attached weapons, firearms, explosives, destructive devices, or ammunition as defined by Florida law. Possessing or operating a drone carrying a weapon of mass destruction without lawful authority is a first-degree felony. That rule also covers hoax weapons of mass destruction defined by Florida law.

New penalties for unlawful drone surveillance

Beginning October 1, 2025, knowingly or willfully violating Florida's drone surveillance rule in section 934.50(3)(b) is a first-degree misdemeanor. Intentionally distributing surveillance obtained through that violation is a third-degree felony. These penalties do not apply to state agencies, political subdivisions, or law enforcement agencies. Their officers, employees, and agents are also exempt when acting within their job duties.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Jennifer Canady

    Republican • House

Cosponsors

  • Criminal Justice Subcommittee

    Affiliation unavailable

  • Judiciary Committee

    Affiliation unavailable

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 151 • No: 0

Senate vote • 4/24/2025

Senate Floor Vote

Yes: 37 • No: 0

House vote • 4/23/2025

House Floor Vote

Yes: 114 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Chapter No. 2025-29

    5/20/2025

  2. Approved by Governor

    5/16/2025

  3. Signed by Officers and presented to Governor

    5/16/2025

  4. Ordered enrolled

    4/24/2025House

  5. In Messages

    4/24/2025House

  6. CS passed; YEAS 37 NAYS 0 -SJ 546

    4/24/2025Senate

  7. Read 3rd time -SJ 546

    4/24/2025Senate

  8. Read 2nd time -SJ 546

    4/24/2025Senate

  9. Substituted for CS/CS/SB 1422 -SJ 546

    4/24/2025Senate

  10. Placed on Calendar, on 2nd reading

    4/24/2025Senate

  11. Withdrawn from Rules -SJ 546

    4/24/2025Senate

  12. Received

    4/23/2025Senate

  13. Referred to Rules

    4/23/2025Senate

  14. In Messages

    4/23/2025Senate

  15. CS passed; YEAS 114, NAYS 0

    4/23/2025House

  16. Read 3rd time

    4/23/2025House

  17. Added to Third Reading Calendar

    4/23/2025House

  18. Placed on 3rd reading

    4/23/2025House

  19. Read 2nd time

    4/23/2025House

  20. Bill added to Special Order Calendar (4/23/2025)

    4/17/2025House

  21. Added to Second Reading Calendar

    4/9/2025House

  22. Bill referred to House Calendar

    4/9/2025House

  23. 1st Reading (Committee Substitute 2)

    4/8/2025House

  24. CS Filed

    4/8/2025House

  25. Laid on Table under Rule 7.18(a)

    4/8/2025House

Bill Text

Related Bills

Back to State Legislation