Last week, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem signed Senate Bill 169 into law after its unanimous passage in the State’s Senate and 67-2 passage in the House of Representatives.
The law, which was supported by the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), codifies the rights of commercial and recreational drone operators, reaffirms the authority of the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) over air navigation and aviation safety issues, and prevents the future adoption of unnecessary laws that specifically target drone technology.
“AUVSI is proud to announce that South Dakota is ‘Drone Prepared’ and ready to welcome the benefits that widespread commercial drone operations will bring to the state,” said Elizabeth Sila, Manager of Government Affairs for AUVSI. “We are grateful for opportunities to collaborate closely with state lawmakers to educate them on the challenges and opportunities facing our industry and to support legislation that will foster a regulatory environment that enables growth for years to come.”
Drone Prepared is AUVSI’s industry-backed, multi-state initiative to help lawmakers ensure that their state or locality is ready for the benefits the future of uncrewed and autonomous flight will bring to their communities. Learn more at droneprepared.org.
