Michigan Proposes Massive 15-Bill Drone Regulation Package, New Unofficial Speed Record Set, and Super Bowl No-Fly Zone

Welcome to your weekly UAS news update. We have four stories for you this week. Michigan proposes a controversial 15-bill drone regulation package. A new unofficial drone speed record has been set. Police use a thermal drone to track down a hit-and-run suspect. And the Super Bowl is a no-fly zone. Let’s get to it.

Hey everyone, it’s Ben from the Pilot Institute YouTube channel. Greg is out of the office this week, but he will return. You can find more of our weekly drone news coverage on our Pilot Institute page.

Michigan introduces SHIELD drone regulation package

Let’s start off in Michigan. They’ve introduced a massive 15-bill drone regulation package called SHIELD. This is probably the most ambitious and most legally problematic state-level drone legislation we’ve seen in a while.

The package would create no drone zones over critical infrastructure, give police the authority to take down drones, mandate a state-run geofencing app for all pilots, and ban state agencies from buying drones from companies of concern. Violators could face a felony and fines up to $2,500. The proposed bills are estimated to cost Michigan taxpayers up to $60 million to implement.

The biggest problem here is federal preemption. As we all know, the FAA has exclusive authority over the airspace from the ground up. Creating no drone zones and authorizing police to disable aircraft in flight steps directly into the FAA’s territory. We’ve seen similar bills in other states get shut down for this exact reason.

What’s really wild here is the proposal for a state-run geofencing app. They want to spend $20 to $40 million building a system that duplicates what the FAA’s LAANC and Before You Fly apps already do for free. It’s a recipe for confusion and would create a patchwork of rules that make flying less safe.

The bill also seems to ignore that the federal Safer Skies Act was just passed, which already gives local law enforcement a legal pathway for counter-drone authority. This is definitely one we’ll be watching closely, and we’ll let you know when we have updates.

New unofficial drone speed record: 690 km/h

Next, the friendly rivalry to build the world’s fastest drone continues. Australian engineer Benjamin BGS and his Drone Pro Hub team just hit an incredible peak GPS speed of 690 km per hour, which is 428.8 mph. This was with his upgraded Blackburn drone.

His estimated 100-meter average speed comes in around 661 kilometers an hour, or 410.7 miles per hour. That would just edge out Luke Maximo Bell’s official Guinness World Record of 658 km per hour.

Now, this was an unofficial run because he couldn’t get the required witnesses on short notice, so Luke Bell still holds the official title. This rivalry is pushing drone engineering faster than any company’s R&D department. And we have a feeling the 700 km per hour barrier is going to be broken very, very soon.

Thermal drone tracks down hit-and-run suspect in Aurora, Colorado

And another story showing how drones are becoming essential tools for law enforcement. In Aurora, Colorado, police responded to a tragic fatal hit-and-run crash. The suspect allegedly ran a red light at high speed, causing a fatal crash. The suspect then fled the scene on foot and hid in a nearby park as darkness fell.

Officers quickly set up a perimeter, but instead of sending them into the dark park for a dangerous search, they launched a drone equipped with a thermal camera. Within minutes, the drone’s thermal sensor picked up a clear heat signature glowing against the cooler ground. Using the drone’s live feed, officers on the ground and a K-9 unit were able to move in and make the arrest safely and quickly.

Super Bowl TFRs: Don’t fly your drone

And lastly, it’s time for our annual public service announcement. The Super Bowl is this weekend, which means there are multiple TFRs in place — not just on game day, but on the days leading up to it and in surrounding areas as well. You can find information on the FAA website at tfr.faa.gov.

So please don’t put your drone up — or in other words, don’t be that guy. Speaking of which, if you’d like to show your support of safe flights, Pilot Institute just released a brand new “Don’t Be That Guy” t-shirt, which is available for sale now.

That’s all for this week. Join us for our live Q&A on Monday with Greg. We’ll see you then.