Sign Up
SF 491 Iowa Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

A bill for an act prohibiting the use of remotely piloted aircraft flying over farm property, and making penalties applicable.

This bill prohibits individuals from flying remotely piloted aircraft, or drones, over certain farm properties, directly affecting drone operators and farmers. It bans drones from flying within 400 feet of farm animals, farm equipment, or farm structures located on a "secure farmstead area" unless the drone operator owns or leases the property. This restriction applies to all drones, including those equipped with surveillance devices, and specifically excludes areas within city limits. Farmers can seek a court order to prevent individuals from repeatedly violating these drone flight rules over their property.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2025
Senate Passage
Apr 2025
House Passage
Apr 2025
Signed into Law
May 2025
Introduced Mar 4, 2025 Signed May 6, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

Enrolled → Enrolled with Governor's Action · 4 edits · May 6, 2025
MODERATE
This bill amends Iowa's drone privacy laws to add specific definitions for farm-related terms and strengthen protections for farmers against unauthorized drone surveillance. The changes clarify what constitutes a farmstead, expand protections to include farm animals and equipment, and maintain the ability for farmers to seek court injunctions against harassing drone flights.
Scope change
The bill's scope remains focused on protecting farm property from unauthorized drone surveillance, but the definitions of protected areas and property types were expanded and clarified to better cover various farming operations.
DEFINITION

Added new definitions for 'farm animal', 'farm commodity', 'farm crop', 'farm equipment', 'farm structure', 'farmer', and 'farmstead' to clarify what is protected under the law.

ELIGIBILITY

Changed the farmstead definition to require at least 40 contiguous acres instead of the previous 15,000 dollar sales threshold as the primary criterion, though the sales threshold remains as a supporting requirement.

REQUIREMENT

Updated surveillance device definitions to explicitly include identification of farm animals, equipment, and structures, ensuring these are protected from unauthorized recording.

ENFORCEMENT

Maintained and clarified the ability for homestead and farmstead owners to petition courts for temporary injunctions against harassing drone flights.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 17, 2025 · House Apr 8, 2025

How they voted

42–3
Passed · 4 other
Total votes 49
Mar 17, 2025
D Democratic16
10 Yea 3 Nay 3
62% Yea
R Republican33
32 Yea 1
96% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
26
Key actions
12
Committee
6
Amendments
3
May 6, 2025
Signed into law
Signed by Governor.
upper
Apr 28, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate, yeas 42, nays 8.
upper
Apr 28, 2025
Upper · Passed
Senate concurred with S-3086.
upper
Apr 8, 2025
Introduced
Message from House, with amendment S-3086.
upper
Apr 8, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed House, yeas 89, nays 7.
lower
Apr 8, 2025
Lower · Passed
Committee amendment H-1215 adopted.
lower
Apr 2, 2025
Introduced
Committee amendment H-1215 filed.
lower
Apr 1, 2025
Lower · Passed
Committee vote: Yeas, 20. Nays, 3.
lower
Apr 1, 2025
Lower · Passed
Committee report, recommending amendment and passage.
lower
Mar 27, 2025
Legislature · Passed
Subcommittee recommends passage.
legislature
Mar 25, 2025
Legislature · Passed
Subcommittee Meeting: 03/27/2025 8:45AM House Lounge.
legislature
Mar 19, 2025
Lower · Passed
Subcommittee: Wulf, Scholten and Sexton.
lower
Mar 17, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate, yeas 43, nays 3.
upper
Mar 4, 2025
Upper · Passed
Committee report, approving bill.
upper
Mar 4, 2025
Introduced
Introduced, placed on calendar.
upper
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.