Drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles, are aircraft either remotely controlled by a pilot on the ground or autonomously flying a pre-programmed mission. Currently, anyone can purchase and legally fly a drone in most parts of the country, and more than 1.3 million drones are now registered with the FAA, up from about 470,000 in 2016. However, advocates say these developments may not be good news to those who value their privacy. Hobbyist pilots are required to keep their drones in sight, below 400 feet, and out of airspace meant for passenger-carrying airplanes. Local and federal law enforcement agencies are rapidly increasing their use of domestic drones and manufacturers are considering arming these drones with nonlethal weapons like rubber bullets, Tasers and tear gas. Drones are used for search and rescue, photography, spotting wildfires, monitoring crops, patrolling our borders, and online retailer Amazon has even started using drones to deliver packages.

Pending Legislation: S.600 - Drone Integration and Zoning Act
Sponsor: Sen. Mike Lee (UT)
Status: Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation
Chair: Sen. Maria Cantwell (WA)