Mar 16, 2016, 3:57pm EDT

Dave Williams Staff Writer Atlanta Business Chronicle

The state Senate Wednesday overwhelmingly approved a watered-down version of a bill governing the operation of drones in Georgia.

The Senate version of the legislation, which passed 51-3, prohibits equipping drones with a weapon and gives local governments and state agencies the power to ban the launch or intentional landing of drones on public property.

David Paul Morris/Bloomberg

But the Senate stripped several provisions from a drones bill that passed the Georgia House of Representatives two weeks ago. The House bill protects property owners from invasions of privacy by drones, with exceptions for law enforcement agencies searching for lost children or escaped prisoners.
Instead, the Senate bill would create a state commission to identify the potential economic benefits of the commercial drones industry and look for ways to protect private property rights from intrusion by drones.

The commission would be required to deliver an annual report to the General Assembly by Dec. 1 of each year. It would be abolished at the end of 2021.

Because of the changes incorporated by the Senate, the bill now moves back to the House.

Dave Williams covers Government