More drones could soon take to skies across the state.
Lawmakers approved legislation Wednesday that paves the way for local government and civilian permitting of unmanned aerial vehicles.
Republican Brent Jackson sponsored the bill. He said it updates an existing statute, passed two years ago.
“The FAA has come in since then with new laws and this is manly codifying what the FAA is doing. So when the FAA says you can do it, you can do it. But this bill is sort of mirroring what the FAA is doing,” explained Jackson.
The availability of drones has grown in recent years. Many local entities, ranging from farmers to real estate agents to law enforcement have begun using the devices.
At least one advocacy group has questioned whether this legislation opens the door to potential violation of civil liberties. Still, the measure passed 42-0 in the Senate and is now before Gov. Pat McCrory.