The sponsor of a measure limiting law enforcement use of unmanned aerial vehicles says he’s concerned about privacy rights.
Rep. Rick Becker’s (R-Bismarck) bill says law enforcement must get a search warrant – before using the “drones” for surveillance.
"If UAS is to be used for surveillance of private citizens, they need to get a search warrant to use the drone," Becker told the House Judiciary Committee. "That's opposed to using the drone to obtain information to get a search warrant. That's a very clear distinction."
But representatives of the University of North Dakota say that kind of law could end the research it’s doing on drones.
"We are concerned that the passage of a privacy bill could have a chilling effect on how the Federal Aviation Administration views the University of North Dakota and the state of North Dakota with respect and testing of the UAS," said Phyllis Johnson, UND's vice-president of research and economic development. Johnson says UND is working with the Grand Forks Sheriff’s Department to look at privacy issues – and how to resolve them. She and law enforcement who attended the hearing suggested the bill be turned into a study resolution.