Florida Freedom from Unwarranted Surveillance Act (and SB 44/2021 Drone Use)
Florida · Fla. Stat. §§ 934.50, 330.41
Florida bars law enforcement from using drones for surveillance without a warrant or specific exception, and (after SB 92/2015 and SB 44/2021 amendments) prohibits anyone from using a drone to capture images of private property or people on private property in violation of reasonable expectations of privacy. SB 44 (2021) also tightened state preemption over local drone ordinances.
Technical detail
Fla. Stat. §§ 934.50, 330.41, originally added by Ch. 2013-33 (SB 92), expanded by Ch. 2015-26 (SB 766) and Ch. 2021-153 (SB 44).
Who is protected: Floridians on private property and persons targeted by law-enforcement drone surveillance
Who must comply: Florida law-enforcement agencies; private drone operators; political subdivisions limited by preemption
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Florida |
|---|---|
| Level | State |
| Status | In effect |
| Protection strength | Moderate protection |
| Effective date | 2013-07-01 |
| Enacted | 2013-04-25 |
| Citation | Fla. Stat. §§ 934.50, 330.41 |
| Enforced by | Florida Department of Law Enforcement; private civil enforcement |
| Private right of action | Yes — individuals can sue |
| Penalties | Suppression of evidence; civil damages |
| Topics | consumer data privacy · police and surveillance AI · consumer protection |
| Last verified | 2026-06-17 |
| Official source | Florida Statutes § 934.50 — Searches and Seizures Using a Drone ↗ |
More AI rules in Florida
- FL Rule 2.515 amendment — AI citation certification (eff. Jun. 15, 2026) · In effect
- FL HB 7027 (2016 driverless AV) · In effect
- FL PDD law (2017) · In effect
- Florida Digital Bill of Rights (privacy / profiling opt-out) · In effect
- Florida Generated CSAM Law (AI-generated) · In effect
- HB 919 (AI Political Ad Disclaimers) · In effect
Related consumer data privacy rules elsewhere
- Vermont Data Broker Law (H.211) · Enacted (not yet in effect)
- Chatrie v. United States (Fourth Amendment protection for lo · Blocked / in litigation
- House Bill 2512 — Banning surveillance pricing by rideshare · Proposed / pending
- Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act (KIDS Act) (H.R. 7757) · Proposed / pending
- Maine LD 61 (employer surveillance disclosure & prohibition) · In effect
- Washington SHB 1672 (employee monitoring notice, ADS restrictions, emotion AI ban) · In effect
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