Californians Revolt Against Police Drones After Rapid Adoption Across State

Aviation policy and regulation attorney Katie Inman was cited in a CalMatters article examining the legal and regulatory landscape surrounding law enforcement drone use in California. As cities across the state consider policies governing police drone programs, questions have emerged about how local agencies should balance state, federal and even constitutional requirements. Katie discussed the complexity of this intersection, noting that California does not have a comprehensive state statute specifically covering law enforcement drone use and that municipalities must also consider Fourth Amendment case law addressing protections against unreasonable searches and seizures.

"There's three main buckets," she summarized. "You've got the broad constitutional law principles, then you've got state statutes, and then you've got the third bucket, which is FAA operating rules."

READ: Californians Revolt Against Police Drones After Rapid Adoption Across State