New Texas Law

[dronesky]

Not good if you live in Texas & fly drones new law will make it very hard to fly

Texas Drone Law Places Severe Restrictions on Aerial Photography, Videography

By DRONELIFE staff writer, Jim Magill Under current Texas state law, it is illegal to use a drone to capture an image of private property without the owner’s consent, unless you are a law enforcement

dronelife.com

 

[R Martin]

Not good if you live in Texas & fly drones new law will make it very hard to fly

Texas Drone Law Places Severe Restrictions on Aerial Photography, Videography

By DRONELIFE staff writer, Jim Magill Under current Texas state law, it is illegal to use a drone to capture an image of private property without the owner’s consent, unless you are a law enforcement

dronelife.com

I haven't had any problems flying under HB423. Granted, I'm a govt player but I treat the data we collect like I was a private operator. We never release unfiltered images. All of our work is mainly orthomosaics. Anything outside the area of interest is removed prior to sharing the image with interested parties.The law doesn't really prevent you from taking images. It does prevent you from sharing or posting those images for others to view.
We collect questionable images all the time. They just never see the light of day. And all the raw data is stored off the network on an isolated system where the only access is with a keycard in person.

 

[dronesky]

I haven't had any problems flying under HB423. Granted, I'm a govt player but I treat the data we collect like I was a private operator. We never release unfiltered images. All of our work is mainly orthomosaics. Anything outside the area of interest is removed prior to sharing the image with interested parties.The law doesn't really prevent you from taking images. It does prevent you from sharing or posting those images for others to view.
We collect questionable images all the time. They just never see the light of day. And all the raw data is stored off the network on an isolated system where the only access is with a keycard in person.

First thing I thought when seeing this was will be hard to do anything if you have to have permission to film for ortho maps, real estate etc. I never film other people's homes but while doing property you all ways have a little overlap

 

[R Martin]

First thing I thought when seeing this was will be hard to do anything if you have to have permission to film for ortho maps, real estate etc. I never film other people's homes but while doing property you all ways have a little overlap

As long as the geoinformation isn't required, you can crop the questionable stuff out. Most of my work is done in flight planning setting the grid up so as not to include anything (or as little as possible) that doesn't belong. I tried going door to door once for permission and that is for the birds.

 

[WV. Rootman]

If it goes against Faa rules, it shouldn't be allowed to stand. Is it possible to rent a helicopter in Tx. and photograph what ever. What is TX. going to do about Google Earth. There are so many contradictions. When it really comes down to it, It's nothing but big business and money.

 

[Meta4]

Not good if you live in Texas & fly drones new law will make it very hard to fly

This "new" law has been around for >6 years and doesn't seem to have stopped drones flying there.
The bill mentioned is this: 83(R) HB 912 - Enrolled version - Bill Text
And the relevant section is:

Sec. 423.003. OFFENSE: ILLEGAL USE OF UNMANNED AIRCRAFT TO CAPTURE IMAGE. (a) A person commits an offense if the person uses an unmanned aircraft to capture an image of an individual or privately owned real property in this state with the intent to conduct surveillance on the individual or property captured in the image.​

If you fly with the intent to conduct surveillance on an individual or property, you might have to think again, but apart from private investigators, that shouldn't be a big issue.

 

[Thunderhorse]

It has begun!

 

[R Martin]

If it goes against Faa rules, it shouldn't be allowed to stand. Is it possible to rent a helicopter in Tx. and photograph what ever. What is TX. going to do about Google Earth. There are so many contradictions. When it really comes down to it, It's nothing but big business and money.

This defines and delineates critical infrastructure and while it does address privacy, it protects the RPIC from frivolous lawsuits as well. But you know this already because you actually read the whole thing right? As far as legislation goes outside the Federal realm, I thought it was done very well (which is a surprise when it comes to most legislation).

 

[mossphotography]

Not good if you live in Texas & fly drones new law will make it very hard to fly

Texas Drone Law Places Severe Restrictions on Aerial Photography, Videography

By DRONELIFE staff writer, Jim Magill Under current Texas state law, it is illegal to use a drone to capture an image of private property without the owner’s consent, unless you are a law enforcement

dronelife.com

Thie "new" law is over 5 years old.

It is also currently being challenged by the National Press Photographers Association. And odds are they'll win. I wouldn't worry.

 

[TaraFirma]

It's only illegal if you get caught.

 

[Dallas Drone Guy]

This "new" law has been around for >6 years and doesn't seem to have stopped drones flying there.
The bill mentioned is this: 83(R) HB 912 - Enrolled version - Bill Text
And the relevant section is:

Sec. 423.003. OFFENSE: ILLEGAL USE OF UNMANNED AIRCRAFT TO CAPTURE IMAGE. (a) A person commits an offense if the person uses an unmanned aircraft to capture an image of an individual or privately owned real property in this state with the intent to conduct surveillance on the individual or property captured in the image.​

If you fly with the intent to conduct surveillance on an individual or property, you might have to think again, but apart from private investigators, that shouldn't be a big issue.

I first learned about this about 18 months ago when I was approached by The Humane Society. They were highly confident that there was an illegal puppy mill as well as dog fighting training grounds at a set of properties outside of Dallas. I was very excited to get the business and for good cause, but of course I dug into the legality and found that I was not able to legally help them.

 

[MPPilot]

Vegan terrorism, that's what the representative wants to hang his hat on? I can just see it, I'm a vegan terrorist that wants to infect a herd. ****, there is a law against using drones. Guess I'll just go back to art school.

 

[bhartwell]

At some point this will be challenged in court. A prohibition against capturing images of private property would be very difficult to enforced and is considerably broad.

For example, let’s say I am filming a wide angle landscape that consists of farmland and ranches. It’s likely that those farms and ranches are private property. It’s also impractical to get permission from each rancher and farm owner prior to capturing the images. Any given farm or ranch would be difficult or impossible to identify. Would this be a prosecutable offense that would stand up in court? Likely not.

I am fine with individual privacy rights and don’t want drones poking in peoples backyards, but overly broad prohibitions like this don’t make a lot of sense.

 

[David Buzzard]

As a professional news photographer for over 30 years, and a member of the Canadian version of the National Press Photographer's Association, IMHO - this is all about what's known as 'Ag Gag' laws. Those make it illegal for journalists to report under cover on conditions on agricultural factory farms. What they don't want to see if someone flying a drone over a factory farm and filming it. In Canada at least, things like prisons and cell towers are inside federally restricted air space.

 

[Mic1961]

Not good if you live in Texas & fly drones new law will make it very hard to fly

Texas Drone Law Places Severe Restrictions on Aerial Photography, Videography

By DRONELIFE staff writer, Jim Magill Under current Texas state law, it is illegal to use a drone to capture an image of private property without the owner’s consent, unless you are a law enforcement

dronelife.com

If true, then Googla maps needs to be arrested...

 

[Mic1961]

It has begun!

I am curious...my dog tries to attack my drone taking off or landing...I stop the dog because I can see it...if a drone is delivering a package and I am not in the yard to stop my dog or child from touching the drone...who is liable for injuries?

 

[WV. Rootman]

This has been discussed before and said, take all the pictures from a stationary helicopter. What's the difference if it is a manned or unmanned aircraft?

Wasn't it in 79 the supreme court ruled, it wasn't an invasion of privacy to photograph property from an aircraft? Running nude in your backyard is not expecting privacy. Lol With smart TV's and such, is there any privacy?