An Act relative to the use of unmanned aerial systems

This bill establishes rules for the use of unmanned aerial vehicles by government entities in Massachusetts to regulate law enforcement operations and protect individual privacy. It requires that any drone used by state or local officials must comply with federal aviation standards, prohibits equipping them with weapons, and restricts their use primarily to executing warrants or responding to immediate life-threatening emergencies. The legislation also bans the use of facial recognition or biometric technology on drone data, limits data collection to specific warrant subjects, and mandates the deletion of non-target information within 24 hours. Additionally, it prevents data gathered illegally or in violation of retention limits from being used as evidence in court.