ST. LOUIS — Aldermen on Thursday approved a suite of changes to a plan aimed at reining in commercial spy drones that have raised alarm in recent weeks.Â
The initial draft from Alderwoman Alisha Sonnier, of Tower Grove East, made it illegal for anyone to use a drone to observe any other person — or that person’s private property — without their written consent.
That raised concerns among press freedom and First Amendment experts, who noted a longstanding precedent supporting people’s right to photograph or film other people in public, in plain view, and warned that the city could be inviting lawsuits.Â
But on Thursday, Sonnier introduced a rewritten bill focused more on companies selling surveillance services, like the .
People are also reading…
Such firms will need to have city business licenses and avoid flying within 25 feet of another person without their permission. They will be required to steer well clear of government facilities, law enforcement activity and emergency medical response.Â
Members of the press doing their jobs and hobbyists taking footage for recreational or educational purposes would be exempted.Â
Sonnier said she made the changes after talking with advocates and officials in the city and the Federal Aviation Administration.
She said her aim is not to prohibit anyone from operating drones in the city, but to ensure residents’ safety and privacy is protected as much as possible.
She said it would also be nice if it deterred the out-of-state firm, SMS Novel, from continuing its purported efforts to surveil city neighborhoods despite opposition from city officials.