Enacted Laws
SB 2428 – Allows the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency to use unmanned aircraft to capture images for the purposes of emergency management. View the Bill
HB 924 - Authorizes law enforcement agencies to use a drone to provide or enhance security for a public event, to provide aerial coverage during a natural disaster, or to investigate the scene of a crime. Extends the time within which law enforcement must determine whether evidence collected by a drone may be retained or deleted from three to 30 days. View the Bill
SB 258 - Authorizes law enforcement agencies to use a drone without a search warrant to provide or enhance security for a public event, to provide aerial coverage during a natural disaster, or to investigate the scene of a crime. Extends the time within which law enforcement must determine whether evidence collected by a drone may be retained or deleted from 3 days to 30 days. View the Bill
HB 153 - As enacted, prohibits certain use of an unmanned aircraft to intentionally capture an image over certain open-air events and firework displays; prohibits use of unmanned aircraft over grounds of a correctional facility. - Amends TCA Title 39. View the Bill
HB 154 - Prohibits the dropping of items or substances from unmanned aircraft into an open-air event venue where more than 100 persons are gathered for a ticketed event; violation is Class C misdemeanor. View the Bill
HB 2376 - Criminal Offenses - As introduced, clarifies that it is lawful for a person acting on behalf of either a public or a private institution of higher education and not just a public institution to capture an image using an unmanned aircraft in this state for purposes of research. - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 13. View the Bill
SB 306 - Increases the penalty for using an unmanned aircraft over a critical infrastructure facility without the business operator’s consent from a Class C misdemeanor to a Class E felony. View the Bill
SB 349 - Prohibits the dropping of items or substances from unmanned aircraft into an open-air event venue where more than 100 persons are gathered for a ticketed event; violation is a Class C misdemeanor. View the Bill
SB 991 - Remedies and Special Proceedings - As introduced, creates civil cause of action against any person for physical invasion of privacy or for attempting to capture a visual image, sound recording, or any other physical impression of a person engaging in personal or familial activities; imposes civil liability, under limited circumstances, for the publication or other use of images or recordings captured through such violation; establishes exceptions for law enforcement activities. - Amends TCA Title 20; Title 29; Title 39; Title 40 and Title 66. View the Bill
SB 1993 - As introduced, adds assessing the presence of other obstructions for the purpose of maintaining clearances of utility easements as a lawful capture of an image using an unmanned aircraft. View the Bill
SB 2106 - Criminal Offenses - As introduced, creates the offense of using a drone to fly within 250 feet of a critical infrastructure facility for the purpose of conducting surveillance or gathering information about the facility. - Amends TCA Title 39 and Title 40. View the Bill
HB 779 - Prohibits local governments from limiting access to the court system for traffic citations issued using unmanned traffic enforcement cameras. View the Bill
SB 1354 - Prohibits local governments from limiting access to the court system for traffic citations issued using unmanned traffic enforcement cameras. View the Bill
HB 308 - Increases the penalty for using an unmanned aircraft over a critical infrastructure facility without the business operator’s consent from a Class C misdemeanor to a Class E felony. View the Bill
HB 2256 - As introduced, adds assessing the presence of other obstructions for the purpose of maintaining clearances of utility easements as a lawful capture of an image using an unmanned aircraft. View the Bill
HB 2178 – Allows the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency to use unmanned aircraft to capture images for the purposes of emergency management. View the Bill
Active Legislation
NACDL has not identified any active legislation for this state.
Previously Introduced Legislation (2022)
HB 1546 - Provides that the use of a drone by a law enforcement agency to search for and collect evidence or obtain information constitutes a search and is subject to Article I, Section 7, of the Tennessee Constitution. Requires law enforcement agencies to obtain a search warrant signed by a judge authorizing the use of a drone before conducting a search with a drone, with exceptions. Requires that any evidence or other data obtained by use of a drone be deleted within three business days of collection unless it is directly relevant to both the lawful reason the drone was being use and to an ongoing investigation or criminal prosecution. Establishes that such data may not be used as probable cause to obtain a search or arrest warrant or to establish reasonable suspicion to detain a person or vehicle if evidence, information, or other data was collected or obtained that was, at the time of collection, unrelated to and discovered only because of the lawful reason the drone was being used. View the Bill
Previously Introduced Legislation (2021)
SB 1016 - Makes various changes regarding law enforcement use of drones, including revising the authorized uses for a drone without a warrant. View the Bill
SB 16 - Authorizes law enforcement agencies to use a drone without a search warrant to provide or enhance security for a public event including a protest, concert, athletic event, festival, or other outdoor event; extends the time within which law enforcement must determine whether evidence collected by a drone may be retained or deleted from three to 30 days. View the Bill
​Previously Introduced Legislation (2020)
HB 1612 - This bill adds an exemption to the warrant requirement for drone use by law enforcement when a drone is deployed to provide or enhance security for an event open to the public and where attendance is expected to exceed 100 persons or to investigate the scene of a crime. View the Bill
SB 1791 - As introduced, adds exemptions to the warrant requirement for drone use by law enforcement when a drone is deployed to provide or enhance security for an event open to the public and where attendance is expected to exceed 100 persons or to investigate the scene of a crime. View the Bill
SB 2002 - Prohibits the issuance of traffic citations based solely on evidence obtained from unmanned traffic cameras used to monitor and enforce traffic signal violations. View the Bill
​Previously Introduced Legislation (2019)
HB 1580 - This bill adds an exemption to warrant requirements for drone use by law enforcement when drone is deployed to provide or enhance security for an event open to the public and where attendance is expected to exceed 100 persons. View the Bill
Previously Introduced Legislation (2016)
HB 1811 - Creates the offense of using a drone to fly within 250 feet of a critical infrastructure facility for the purpose of conducting surveillance or gathering information about the facility. View the Bill
HB 2607 - Aircraft and Airports - As introduced, directs the commissioner of transportation, in consultation with the commissioner of safety, to petition the federal aviation administration for a certificate of authority to operate unmanned aerial systems within the navigable airspace of each of the grand divisions of the state. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 3; Title 39; Title 42; Title 49; Title 54; Title 55 and Title 70. View the Bill
SB 2470 - Criminal Offenses - As introduced, clarifies that it is lawful for a person acting on behalf of either a public or a private institution of higher education and not just a public institution to capture an image using an unmanned aircraft in this state for purposes of research. - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 13. View the Bill
SB 2634 - Aircraft and Airports - As introduced, directs the commissioner of transportation, in consultation with the commissioner of safety, to petition the federal aviation administration for a certificate of authority to operate unmanned aerial systems within the navigable airspace of each of the grand divisions of the state. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 3; Title 39; Title 42; Title 49; Title 54; Title 55 and Title 70. View the Bill
HB 1456 - Creates Class E felony of attaching a weapon to an unmanned aircraft. View the Bill
Previously Introduced Legislation (2015)
HB 486 - Remedies and Special Proceedings - As introduced, creates civil cause of action against any person for physical invasion of privacy or for attempting to capture a visual image, sound recording, or any other physical impression of a person engaging in personal or familial activities; imposes civil liability, under limited circumstances, for the publication or other use of images or recordings captured through such violation; establishes exceptions for law enforcement activities. - Amends TCA Title 20; Title 29; Title 39; Title 40 and Title 66. View the Bill
SB 39 - Law Enforcement - As introduced, prohibits state and local law enforcement agencies from owning or using certain military vehicles, aircraft, and weaponry; requires the divestiture or destruction of such vehicles, aircraft, or weaponry prior to January 1, 2016. - Amends TCA Title 38, Chapter 1 and Title 38, Chapter 3. View the Bill
SB 509 - Criminal Offenses - As introduced, prohibits the use of an unmanned aircraft to capture an image, without the venue owner and operators consent, of an individual or event at an open-air event venue wherein more than 100 individuals could gather for an event. - Amends TCA Title 39. View the Bill