Florida has now banned state and native authorities companies from utilizing drones from a “overseas nation of concern,” which signifies that hundreds of DJI drones being utilized by public security departments can’t be used.
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The ban took impact on Wednesday, April 5 2023. The ban doesn’t impact business and personal drone use.
The Florida legislation is an unfunded mandate, which is able to power particular person public companies to provide you with the cash to switch their drone fleets and prepare employees on new know-how.
Whereas Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has repeatedly claimed that Chinese language drone know-how poses a safety danger, a survey by DRONERESPONDERS signifies that greater than 90% of Florida public security companies are presently utilizing DJI drones, as is the case throughout the nation.
The ban has met with important damaging response right this moment, as customers and stakeholders calculate the worth of {hardware} which is able to now should be changed. In line with one native Florida information station, “the Broward Sheriff’s Workplace has grounded 63 drones, bought at a value of $300,000, whereas Miami-Dade police and fireplace rescue have needed to floor 41 drones, which price greater than $200,000.”
Florida’s Division of Administration Companies has revealed a brief listing of authorized drone suppliers:
Pursuant to part 934.50(7)(b), Florida Statutes, the division hereby offers the next listing of authorized producers whose drones could also be bought or in any other case acquired and utilized by a governmental company beneath part 934.50, Florida Statutes:
- Skydio
- Parrot
- Altavian
- Teal Drones
- Vantage Robotics
The listing seems to be primarily based on the Division of Protection’s DIU “Blue sUAS” listing, however is a listing of producers quite than platforms. The listing doesn’t embody all US-manufactured or NDAA compliant drones.
Florida’s ban is the most recent transfer within the ongoing conflict on Chinese language drone know-how. Whereas DeSantis specifically has made statements about “spying,” the efforts to restrict authorities publicity to Chinese language know-how, a part of the “Huawei impact”, has been ongoing for a number of years within the U.S. authorities as geopolitical pressures improve. Whereas DJI has put know-how safeguards into their techniques that enable customers to maintain their information contained to a neighborhood card with out connecting to the web or importing information in any respect, the U.S. authorities’s said concern is an present legislation in China stating that Chinese language authorities companies might request entry to Chinese language-based firm’s information.
The ban doesn’t impact personal corporations and business pursuits, it is just related to Florida state and native authorities companies.
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Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, knowledgeable drone providers market, and a fascinated observer of the rising drone trade and the regulatory surroundings for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles targeted on the business drone house and is a global speaker and acknowledged determine within the trade. Miriam has a level from the College of Chicago and over 20 years of expertise in excessive tech gross sales and advertising and marketing for brand new applied sciences.
For drone trade consulting or writing, E mail Miriam.
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