Sarah Nilsson - Maryland

Sarah Nilsson JD, PhD, MAS

Maryland

VISUALIZE IT: See FAA UAS DATA on a MAP

UAS in the State of Maryland Report

Md. Economic Development Code Ann. § 14-301

§ 14-301. UAS

(a) Definitions. --

(1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.

(2) "UA" means the flying portion of a UAS, flown by a pilot via a ground control system, or autonomously through use of an onboard computer, a communication link, and any additional equipment that is necessary for the UA to operate safely.

(3) "UAS" means a UA and all the associated support equipment, control stations, data links, telemetry, communications and navigation equipment, and other equipment necessary to operate the UA.

(b) Regulation. -- Only the State may enact a law or take any other action to prohibit, restrict, or regulate the testing or operation of UAS in the State.

(1) preempts the authority of a county or municipality to prohibit, restrict, or regulate the testing or operation of UAS; and

(2) supersedes any existing law or ordinance of a county or municipality that prohibits, restricts, or regulates the testing or operation of UAS.

(d) Federal preemption. -- This section does not affect federal preemption of State law.

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Bill History

Where just the name of the bill or resolution is hyperlinked in black that means that it is not yet law!

Note that bills that are now law are changed to blue font

In 2013, Maryland's Legislature, through House Bill (HB) 100, appropriated $500,000 for the state's UAS test site.

House Bill (HB) 620 (download below) was introduced and read for the first time on February 12, 2015. It is a bill entitled, An Act Concerning Crimes – UAS – Unauthorized Surveillance. (Not yet law!)

hb0100E.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [2.4 MB]

hb0620f.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [89.1 KB]

The governor of Maryland signed Senate Bill (SB) 370 (download below) into law, Chapter 164, which went into effect on July 1, 2015. This is a bill entitled, An Act concerning UAS Research, Development, Regulation, and Privacy Act of 2015.

SB 370 specifies that only the state can enact laws to prohibit, restrict, or regulate the testing or operation of UAS. This preempts county and municipal authority. The bill also requires a study on specified benefits.

sb0370f.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [102.8 KB]

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Sarah Nilsson, J.D., Ph.D., MAS

602 561 8665

sarah@sarahnilsson.org

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Legal Disclaimer

The information on this website is for EDUCATIONAL purposes only and DOES NOT constitute legal advice.

While the author of this website is an attorney, she is not YOUR attorney, nor are you her client, until you enter into a written agreement with Nilsson Law, PLLC to provide legal services.

In no event shall Sarah Nilsson be liable for any special, indirect, or consequential damages relating to this material, for any use of this website, or for any other hyperlinked website.

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