As the 2023 legislative session began Iowa legislators had a clear goal in mind – protecting the privacy of farmers. As a major agricultural state, the concerns of farmers and the agricultural community have always been a focus of the legislature. In recent years, this has seen a trend of measures aimed at restricting the ability of animal welfare organizations to document the conditions of livestock. This year the focus turned to the use of drones for this documentation – with overbroad measures that would vastly restrict drone use becoming a hotly debated issue.  

Legislation: Unsatisfactory 

• House File 388/House File 572 – These measures would have made it an intrusion to knowingly control the flight of a remotely piloted aircraft over a homestead or secure farmstead area and would have made it a further offense if it were done with an aircraft that was equipped with a surveillance device. The measures died in the second chamber. 

• Senate File 369/ Senate File 520 – These measures were the companion bills to the above house files. The measures were substituted by their companions.  

Willingness to Engage: Satisfactory   

When the above measures were introduced, concerns were immediately raised among local operators and stakeholders. The opposition centered around the broad scope of the measure and the negative impacts it would have on the local commercial industry. In the subcommittee, concerns were raised from local businesses, the insurance industry, railroad companies, and even farmers who used drones for agricultural reasons. The committee members allowed themselves to be fully educated on the issues and, while still passing the measure, required amendments addressing some of the concerns to be made.  

Openness to Industry: Satisfactory 

While the amended language was in a better place after passing the House, it remained overbroad and restrictive. Involved from the start, industry began a heavier push at this point, coming together to register opposition, explain the concerns that were still not addressed, and offer amendments that were targeted at the actual intent of bill and were technology neutral. The legislators remained involved in the conversations and willing to listen, with the measure eventually being designated as “unfinished business” for the 2023 session when it was clear consensus language could not be agreed upon.  

Overall: Needs Improvement 

The drone measures introduced this session were a major focus of the legislature this year. Although introduced with a specific intent in mind – the language was overly broad, restrictive, and rife with concerns for operators. Although the language was unfavorable, the legislature showed a willingness to hear the concerns of local business and industry stakeholders. When it became clear that the measure, as written, would cause more problems than it would solve, the legislature chose not to continue with it and take the interim to workshop it more.  

Although rocky to start, Iowa showed their commitment to smart industry-supported policy. With full collaboration from the jump, we are confident that Iowa will remain an environment ripe for drone operations and industry growth.