A proposed bill making its way through the Florida Senate would allow homeowners to use “reasonable force” to stop drones conducting surveillance within 500 feet of their property.
Senate Bill 1422 builds on Florida’s current “Freedom from Unwarranted Surveillance Act,” which prohibits drones from recording private property without permission when privacy is reasonably expected, according to dronelife.com.
The legislation, however, leaves “reasonable force” undefined—raising questions about whether homeowners could legally shoot down drones.
Despite the ambiguity, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) remains firm on its stance that citizens cannot shoot aircraft out of the sky or they will face hefty fines and potential jail time.
“It’s illegal under federal law to shoot at an aircraft,” the FAA said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “A private citizen shooting at any aircraft – including unmanned aircraft – poses a significant safety hazard. An unmanned aircraft hit by gunfire could crash, causing damage to persons or property on the ground, or it could collide with other objects in the air. Shooting at an unmanned aircraft could result in a civil penalty from the FAA and criminal charges from federal, state or local law enforcement.”
If approved by the Senate, the bill could take effect as soon as October 2025.
