March 19, 2024

Report advises Iowa to wait on drone regulation

IOWA CITY — Iowa should take a wait-and-see approach to regulating unmanned aerial vehicles because of their huge potential for positive uses in business and government, the Iowa Department of Public Safety advises in a new report.

The report, requested by lawmakers in May, suggests that existing legal safeguards may suffice for now to protect citizens against the threat of misuse of drones by government and private individuals. Meanwhile, a consensus has developed that the aircraft will greatly benefit agriculture and other private industries.