The state legislature has passed a first of its kind bill that put restrictions on Minnesota’s law enforcement’s use of drones. The bill was signed into law by Governor Tim Walz on May 16 after winning near-unanimous approval from the legislature. As a result, law enforcement agencies will have to get a warrant before using a drone, unless an exception applies.
A man in Minnesota who shot down a drone is now hit with two felony charges. The drone pilot was flying his unmanned aircraft over a meat processing facility in the Southern Minnesota town of Butterfield when it was shot down.
The Minnesota Interagency Fire Center and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources ask people not to use their drones near wildfires. In Minnesota, the months of April and May are typically the most active times for such fires, say experts.