Chapter 261

2016 -- H 7511 SUBSTITUTE B Enacted 07/01/2016

A N   A C T

RELATING TO AERONAUTICS -- UNPILOTED AERIAL VEHICLE REGULATION

Introduced By: Representatives Ucci, Winfield, Solomon, Kazarian, and Corvese

Date Introduced: February 10, 2016

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Title 1 of the General Laws entitled "AERONAUTICS" is hereby amended

by adding thereto the following chapter:

CHAPTER 8

UNPILOTED AERIAL VEHICLES

1-8-1. Exclusive aerial regulations. – Subject to federal law, the state of Rhode Island

and the Rhode Island Airport Corporation shall have exclusive legal authority to regulate any

object capable of flying that is remotely controlled and flies autonomously through software-

controlled flight plans embedded in the object's system by a global-position system, commonly

known as unpiloted aerial vehicles, remotely piloted aircraft, drones, or unmanned aircraft

systems.

SECTION 2. Federal Preemption. – If federal law preempts any provision of this chapter,

that provision shall not apply.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC004686/SUB B

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