Drone Laws

[BenA]

It's nice to see some states being proactive with drone regulations. Kentucky just put this into effect.

https://fw.ky.gov/News/Pages/New-law-takes-effect-restricting-drone-use-when-hunting-and-fishing.aspx

Regulations Now in Effect:

• A person shall not use an aircraft or unmanned aircraft system:
  • To fish, hunt or take wildlife or to drive or herd any wildlife for the purpose of fishing, hunting or taking; or
  • To harass any wildlife.
• Aircraft or unmanned aircraft systems may be used by:
  • Kentucky Fish and Wildlife employees and contractors or agents acting on behalf of the agency when addressing human safety, law enforcement, research, management or other needs approved by the department;
  • Authorized landowners or their agents to engage in lawful wildlife damage control activities; and
  • Commercial fishers for use in locating or removing invasive carp.

Further clarification as to take and pursue or helping to take or pursue:

Under the authority granted to Kentucky Fish and Wildlife by KRS 150.010(46), “take” includes pursue, shoot, hunt, wound, catch, kill, trap, snare or capture wildlife in any way and any lesser act designed to lure, attract or entice for these purposes; and to place, set, aim, or use any device, animal, substance or agency which may reasonably be expected to accomplish these acts; or to attempt to do these acts or to assist any other person in the doing of or the attempt to do these acts.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

Would that law ban using a thermal drone for tracking a wounded deer? I've never used one, but the online videos make them like great tools to find otherwise hard to find wounded deer.

I don't think they should be used for other purposes though, like scouting public land or private properties unless you are the owner.

 

[BenA]

Would that law ban using a thermal drone for tracking a wounded deer? I've never used one, but the online videos make them like great tools to find otherwise hard to find wounded deer.

I don't think they should be used for other purposes though, like scouting public land or private properties unless you are the owner.

If someone calls in a thermal drone operator to track a deer, and the operator sees that the deer is not dead, then the operator can't help the hunter at all with where the deer is. If it's dead, then it's recovery at that point, and is legal.

 

[Baker]

I sure am glad I live in La. I'll do what I please with my drone on my property.

 

[BenA]

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

Looks like this just stops people from running deer around and walking someone into a deer? Doesn’t do much

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

It looks like it is illegal to find a deer with your drone and then go out and shoot it. I think that's a good rule to have and it still allows them to be used to find a wounded deer.

I could see guys using drones to determine where the deer are hiding and then start hunting based on that information. That seems like cheating to me, so I'm glad that is illegal.

 

[BenA]

Looks like this just stops people from running deer around and walking someone into a deer? Doesn’t do much

You can't use a drone to find a deer and cut them off or setup on them or near them.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

You can't use a drone to find a deer and cut them off or setup on them or near them.

It’s a start. I think the use for scouting should stop too personally but I’m not king

 

[BenA]

It’s a start. I think the use for scouting should stop too personally but I’m not king

Isn't scouting an attempt to pursue though?

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

Isn't scouting an attempt to pursue though?

In the second message you posted it says scouting is legal

 

[BenA]

In the second message you posted it says scouting is legal

I know. Which way is it? Does scouting = attempt to pursue? That's why I scout. I think the post I copied/pasted here needs clarification.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

Don’t worry I’m not above pestering them! I’ll ask. They respond to half of my stuff for the record though.

 

[Native Hunter]

They stopped short of the most important thing - it should be illegal to fly over someone else's property. Typical politicians making laws without understanding the real problem (or even caring about the real problem).

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

They stopped short of the most important thing - it should be illegal to fly over someone else's property. Typical politicians making laws without understanding the real problem (or even caring about the real problem).

I thought about that, but I bet it oversteps their legal authority. I imagine that is an faa issue or something like that. Not one the fish and wildlife commission has much say in
But the more I read this the more this is a waste of ink. I’m not sure it actually does a single thing that can be enforceable

 

[BenA]

They stopped short of the most important thing - it should be illegal to fly over someone else's property. Typical politicians making laws without understanding the real problem (or even caring about the real problem).

I did see where Kentucky (this past June) also made it illegal to record images with drones of privately owned real property. According to what I can find as a definition of "real property" in Kentucky, is that includes land, trees, etc. That doesn't stop them from flying over and looking at it, but recording the footage to look at or show seems like it's illegal.

(12) A person operating an unmanned aircraft system pursuant to subsections (3) to (5)
of this section shall not use an unmanned aircraft system to record an image of
privately owned real property or of the owner, tenant, occupant, invitee, or licensee
of such property with the intent to conduct surveillance on, or publish unauthorized
images of, the individual or property captured in the image in violation of the
person's reasonable expectation of privacy. For purposes of this subsection, a
person is presumed to have a reasonable expectation of privacy on his or her
privately owned real property if he or she is not observable by persons located at
ground level in a place where they have a legal right to be, regardless of whether he
or she is observable from the air with the use of an unmanned aircraft system.
Effective: June 27, 2025
History: Amended 2025 Ky. Acts ch. 19, sec. 1, effective June 27, 2025. -- Created
2018 Ky. Acts ch. 26, sec. 1, effective July 14, 2018.

https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=56115

 

[KY wild]

I thought about that, but I bet it oversteps their legal authority. I imagine that is an faa issue or something like that. Not one the fish and wildlife commission has much say in
But the more I read this the more this is a waste of ink. I’m not sure it actually does a single thing that can be enforceable

I agree. You pay some one $300 bucks to come look for your wounded deer and they find it alive and then they say.....Your deer is alive, thanks for the money, goodbye. That will not happen

 

[Baker]

They stopped short of the most important thing - it should be illegal to fly over someone else's property. Typical politicians making laws without understanding the real problem (or even caring about the real problem).

This is about the only thing I agree with here. Beyond that If someone wounds a deer on my farm { usually archery } and I can find it with my drone I'm sending in the rednecks with buckshot. If the deer is so buggered it cant get away he's gonna get shot. I care more for the deer than most hunters.

I think drones are the most awesome educational and censusing tool I've seen. Of course people can use most anything in nefarious ways but legislating ethics is a slippery slope.