Wyoming Legislators Debate Drone Trespassing Bill Which Could Hamper Property Inspections

There was no resolution Friday for a bill that would make trespassing by drone a criminal offense in Wyoming, as the legislature’s Senate Judiciary Committee paused its debate until Monday.

Senate File 34 is intended to make flying drones over private property without permission a form of trespassing.

As it’s worded, the bill would require proof that a drone flight had ‘substantially’ effected a property owner’s ‘use and enjoyment’ of their land.

That’s too vague, said Jim Magagna, executive vice president of the Wyoming Stockgrowers Association. ‘’Enjoyment’ is a pretty nebulous and undefined concept,’ he told the committee.

Instead, unauthorized drone flights over private property should be defined as ‘trespassing’ the same as setting foot on private property is.