FL drone surveillance act
Florida Freedom from Unwarranted Surveillance Act (and SB 44/2021 Drone Use)
Florida · Fla. Stat. §§ 934.50, 330.41 (Ch. 2013-33; amended by Ch. 2021-165, CS/CS/SB 44)
- Status
- In effect
- Took effect
- July 1, 2013
- Applies to
- Florida law-enforcement agencies; private drone operators; political subdivisions limited by preemption
- Enforced by
- Florida Department of Law Enforcement; private civil enforcement
Florida bars law enforcement from using drones for surveillance without a warrant or specific exception, and (after the 2015 amendment) prohibits anyone from using a drone to record private property or people on it with intent to conduct surveillance in violation of their reasonable expectation of privacy. SB 44 (2021) expanded the situations in which police and other agencies may use drones and required government agencies to use only drones from approved manufacturers that meet state security standards.
Who is protected: Floridians on private property and persons targeted by law-enforcement drone surveillance
Legal detail
Fla. Stat. § 934.50 was created by Ch. 2013-33 (SB 92, the Freedom from Unwarranted Surveillance Act) and amended by, among others, Ch. 2015-26 and Ch. 2021-165 (CS/CS/SB 44, approved June 29, 2021, eff. July 1, 2021). The 2021 act expanded the authorized uses of drones by law enforcement and other entities, had the Department of Management Services publish a list of approved drone manufacturers meeting security standards, required governmental agencies to stop using certain drones by a set date, and set minimum security standards for government drone use. Fla. Stat. § 330.41 (state preemption of drone regulation) dates from Ch. 2017-150 and was also amended by Ch. 2021-165.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Florida |
|---|---|
| Level | State |
| Strength | Moderate |
| Enacted | April 22, 2013 |
| Citation | Fla. Stat. §§ 934.50, 330.41 (Ch. 2013-33; amended by Ch. 2021-165, CS/CS/SB 44) |
| Private right of action | Yes, individuals can sue |
| Penalties | Suppression of evidence; civil damages |
| Topics | consumer data privacy · police and surveillance AI · consumer protection |
| Statute | 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
- Florida FDOT statewide ALPR permit revocation (2026) · In effect
- Florida State Board of Education AI rules, K-12 and state colleges (2026) · Enacted (not yet 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
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 location… · Blocked / in litigation
- House Bill 2512 — Banning surveillance pricing by rideshare companies · 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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