Senate Bill 2569

AN ACT TO PREEMPT THE AUTHORITY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO REGULATE THE TESTING OR OPERATION OF UNMANNED AIRCRAFT FOR BUSINESS PURPOSES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. (1) In this section, the following words have the meanings indicated:

(a) "Unmanned aircraft" means the flying portion of an unmanned aircraft system, flown by a pilot via a ground control system, or autonomously through use of an onboard computer, a communication link, and any additional equipment that is necessary for the unmanned aircraft to operate safely.

(b) "Unmanned aircraft system" means an unmanned aircraft and all the associated support equipment, control stations, data links, telemetry, communications and navigation

equipment, and other equipment necessary to operate the unmanned aircraft.

(2) Only the State of Mississippi may enact a law or take any other action to prohibit, restrict or regulate the

testing or operation of unmanned aircraft systems in the state for business purposes.

(3) Subsection (2) of this section:

(a) Preempts the authority of a county or municipality to prohibit, restrict or regulate the testing or operation of unmanned aircraft for business purposes; and

(b) Supersedes any existing law or ordinance of a county or municipality that prohibits, restricts or regulates the testing or operation of unmanned aircraft for business purposes.

(4) This section does not affect federal preemption of state law.

(5) This section does not apply to the prohibition, restriction or regulation of the testing or operation of unmanned aircraft for personal purposes.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2018.