HB 2129 Summary

• Amends Arizona law to make it a class 6 felony (or class 5 felony for repeat offenses) to intentionally or knowingly use an unmanned aircraft to commit arson or other crimes under chapter 17.

• Requires a person to obtain a permit from the state forester before using an unmanned aircraft to start a prescribed or controlled burn.

• Authorizes the state forester to establish guidelines, adopt rules, set permit fees, and create a permit application process for unmanned aircraft use in prescribed or controlled burns.

• Directs fees collected from unmanned aircraft burn permits to be deposited into the cooperative forestry fund established under section 37-1306.

• Defines "unmanned aircraft" for purposes of prescribed burn permits as an aircraft operated without direct human intervention from within or on the aircraft.