The drone hysteria will end sometime this coming week

[Quiet Em]

when Congress passes the Counter-UAS Authority Security, Safety, and Reauthorization Act.

With the increasing use of drones by the public, State and local communities want more authority over them.

Illicit drone use in the U.S. is on the rise and House lawmakers want to ensure Federal agencies have the power to successfully counter drone threats, saying it is “imperative” to pass new legislation to ensure current drone-countering authorities are extended.

The current drone-countering authorities – authorized as part of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 – are set to expire next week on Dec. 20.

https://www.meritalk.com/articles/house-lawmakers-want-to-extend-expiring-counter-drone-authorities/

The FAA controls our airspace.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently released a press release statement explaining where they stand on the issue of Local vs. Federal drone regulations.

There is still confusion on whether cities and municipalities can enforce their own drone laws governing the operation of aircraft. To clear up any misunderstandings on Local and Federal drone regulations, the FAA issued a statement explaining where the FAA stands on this issue.

Congress has provided the FAA with exclusive authority to regulate aviation safety, the efficiency of the navigable airspace, and air traffic control, among other things. State and local governments are not permitted to regulate any aircraft operations, such as flight paths or altitudes, or the navigable airspace. State and Local authorities may determine the take-off and landing areas for drones, but only the FAA has the authority to control the National Airspace.

https://www.airsight.com/en/news/faa-press-release-clarifies-federal-vs-local-drone-authority#:~:text=Congress%20has%20provided%20the%20FAA,altitudes%2C%20or%20the%20navigable%20airspace.

Just learned all this out of curiosity and a few google searches. Hope this helps with the panic. Once State and local authorities have some power and control in this, as they should, things will calm down.

[wcmagumba]

1. Excepting for the special exclusionary zone around Devils Tower Wyoming. So I hear...

[Quiet Em]

2. I had to look it up just now, but yeah,

Devils Tower Wyoming was on top of this all along.

[BoRaGard]

8. For the sake of accuracy, G.O.P. will change name to Trump Devil's Tower

[electric_blue68]

6. Heh...on my 2nd trip partway across the USA by Bus, planned w room for changes...

This was a 2 week pass: getting on & off & on as many times as I wanted. I was heading towards South Dakota, on the bus was talking w a pair of Aussie guys.
They were heading to Devil's Tower, and this was post-Close Encounters!

Now I was heading to a special event, and then would have 10 days to travel before heading back to NYC.

But I was tempted to skip the event, and head that way instead, but I didn't.
I'm sure it was awesome to see!

(My first trip the year before - w the 2 week bus pass, plus I added 2 xtra days for ? $ apiece; I went all the way to San Francisco from NYC.)

[kerry-is-my-prez]

3. Just shoot one of them down over water or an empty field.

I get they don’t want people and homes damaged but just make sure there’s no people there and do it. Then we can see if it has some serial number on it and see where it was bought and probably by who - then fine them or whatever.

[Think. Again.]

7. That's the most sensible response yet. Thank you.

[Quiet Em]

9. It's illegal to shoot down a drown. It's a federal crime.

It's also potentially dangerous.

But having drones fly near sensitive areas is why State and local authorities want more control over drones.

[Hekate]

4. Not feeling any "hysteria" but I'd probably be a bit concerned if they were swarming around my neighborhood

Also, a Chinese national was apprehended surveilling Vandenberg AFB about a hundred miles from me. It’s noted these days for launching bunches of Elon Muskrat’s crap and causing my windows to rattle — but Vandenberg is also the epicenter of Uncle Sam’s electronic nervous system.

Really want that surveilled, yessir.

[Quiet Em]

10. That's exactly why State and local authorities want more control.

There are so many drones out there now and it's obviously a concern that someone could use one for illegal or nefarious purposes.

[Think. Again.]

5. When you connect the info in this OP...

...with the info in this OP...

"The National Governors Association again called on Congress to preserve the authority of governors over Air National Guard space units."
https://democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=19811606

...it begins to look as though there is a concerted effort to remove federal authority over air/space control.

[Quiet Em]

11. I don't believe they want to remove federal authority completely

They just want State and local authorities to have some control over the airspace as well. At least for drones since there are so many of them now,

[Think. Again.]

12. The way I understood the statements...

...they DO want to replace Federal airspace authority with state/local authority, at least that is clear to me with the "Space Force" proposal discussed here: https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2024/12/10/governors-call-on-congress-again-to-protect-authority-over-space-national-guard-units/

But so far, I believe this is all just the start of this and no formal authority structure has been proposed.

[Ping Tung]

13. The escaped Garden Gnomes will be recaptured and denied access to magic mushrooms.