Substitute Bill No. 5202 Summary

• Expands aeronautics definitions to include unmanned aircraft, vertiports, and related facilities; effective July 1, 2024.

• Updates airport registration and licensing procedures for the Connecticut Airport Authority, requiring facility owners to submit aircraft information annually by July 31 and charging $150 licensing fees for airports, heliports, and vertiports (effective July 1, 2024).

• Establishes new unmanned aircraft regulations including prohibitions on operation below 250 feet over private property without permission, restrictions near critical infrastructure, and bans on equipping aircraft with weapons or laser projection (effective October 1, 2024).

• Creates criminal penalties for violations including class A misdemeanors for critical infrastructure surveillance and laser projection at aircraft, and class C/A misdemeanors for operating aircraft or unmanned aircraft while impaired (effective October 1, 2024).

• Modifies alcohol sales hours at Bradley International Airport cafe permits to prohibit consumption between 12:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. daily and after 11:00 p.m. (effective October 1, 2024).