Drone distance bill unanimously clears Nevada Assembly commitee
CARSON CITY — The Assembly Transportation Committee unanimously passed a bill on Tuesday that would ban drones around transmission lines operated and maintained by the Colorado River Commission of Nevada.
Assembly Bill 11 adds the transmission lines to the list of “critical” structures drones must stay away from. The measure now goes to the full Assembly for a vote.
If the bill becomes law the drones would have to maintain a horizontal distance of at least 500 feet and a vertical distance of at least 250 feet from the transmission lines.
The Colorado River Commission has facilities throughout Clark County and runs the system that delivers electricity to the Southern Nevada Water Authority. That system has 17 high-voltage substations and 36 miles of overhead transmission lines and delivers water from Lake Mead to the valley.
Other structures protected in in existing law from drone movements include chemical manufacturing and storage facilities, wastewater facilities, and jails and prisons.
Contact Ben Botkin at bbotkin@reviewjournal.com or (775) 461-0661. Follow @BenBotkin1 on Twitter.
