Tell Us: Domestic Drone Spying?

Senator Carl L. Marcellino today announced that he introduced legislation to set limits on the use of drones in New York State.

“The speedy implementation of drone technology throughout the United States, absent any guidelines, poses a serious threat to the privacy and constitutional rights of the American people,” he said.

In a nut shell, the bill seeks to limit the use of drone aircraft by state and local government agencies and private companies. The legislation would set limits on drones used by law enforcement and other agencies in the collection and storing of evidence, including audio and video recordings, unless a search warrant is issued.

“Residents should have an expectation of privacy in their homes. To assure that, as technology moves forward, our laws must keep pace to protect residents from unwarranted surveillance,” said Marcellino.

The bill is sponsored in the Assembly by Assemblyman Nick Perry. Read more about domestic drone spying on the ACLU's website.

Tell us: What sorts of controls should be implemented on domestic drones for law enforcement and private use? What protections should citizens have? Are we headed toward a surveilance state?