Texas Home Committee Approves Drone Ban

This Week on Drone50: Home Invoice 41 and Its Impression on Public Security

Welcome again to the newest replace in public security on Drone 5-0 Discussions. At present, we’re diving right into a “let’s repair an issue which may not even exist” second. Within the subsequent 5 minutes, I’ll break down Home Invoice 41, clarify the way it hurts Texans, and share what you are able to do about it. For these outdoors Texas, this is applicable to you too—comparable laws is being pushed nationwide. Stick round to study how one can assist cease this. If this content material makes legislative chaos much less migraine-inducing, please like, subscribe, and remark. These movies take hours to analysis, shoot, and edit—all so that you don’t must. Your assist helps us attain extra individuals who care about retaining Texans protected.

Home Invoice 41: A Misguided Drone Ban

Home Invoice 41 is a proposed drone ban that lawmakers declare protects Texas from international know-how. In actuality, it dangers eradicating a vital software First Responders depend on day by day. Earlier this month, public security professionals from Texas and past testified in opposition to the invoice on the Homeland Safety Committee listening to in Austin.

The room was packed—with Firefighters, regulation enforcement, and Search and Rescue professionals. Notably, not a single public security pilot who flies drones in actual emergencies supported HB41. The invoice’s backers? Two non-public entities, AUVSI and State Armor. Nothing says public security like ignoring the general public security group and taking orders from non-public teams with no expertise in disaster response or public security missions.

The Actual Dangers of HB41

Home Invoice 41 doesn’t shield Texans—it places them in danger. Slower response instances, better hazard, and extra lives on the road. This isn’t nearly Police; it impacts firefighters, recreation wardens, emergency managers, water departments, and public works—each company utilizing drones to guard and serve. The results are actual. AUVSI, an advocacy group that missed public security, and State Armor push insurance policies with little understanding of how drones are used or what’s at stake.

As my pal Kyle Nordpers stated, “We now have to do higher, and it begins with having conversations with the tip customers.” Whereas lawmakers claimed openness to working with public security, they handed the invoice out of committee anyway. Their concessions? A 3-month delay within the acquisition cutoff and a one-year extension to the “by no means use it once more” deadline. These modifications barely deal with public security issues, and the menace to communities grows.

Debunking the Cybersecurity Delusion

Supporters of the ban cite an previous Division of Homeland Safety memo warning that Chinese language drones might pose a menace. Nonetheless, a number of impartial cybersecurity audits have discovered no knowledge leaks from platforms generally utilized by public security. I’ll hyperlink these audits within the description so that you can Overview. Most main applications in Texas and nationwide use U.S.-owned software program on Chinese language {hardware}, just like iPhones with Foxconn chips sourced from China.

DroneSense, a broadly used drone interface platform, meets stringent cybersecurity requirements: SOC 2 Sort 2, FIPS, and pending FedRAMP compliance. It runs on U.S.-based servers, makes use of safe functions, and screens communications in actual time. Even the federal authorities, which issued the memo, grants waivers to fly Chinese language-manufactured drones. DJI drones have been used on the presidential inauguration, some of the safe occasions in U.S. historical past. Are they a safety menace, or did somebody overlook to inform the feds? You may’t have it each methods.

A Broader Cybersecurity Perspective

Any chip or sign will be compromised—smartphones, body-worn cameras, patrol automobile techniques, cloud storage, laptops, and even U.S.-branded drones. We want cybersecurity requirements throughout the board, not blanket bans. Don’t ban the software; handle the chance. U.S. drone producers can’t but produce at scale, but HB41 would power companies to scrap useful tools in 5 years, losing hundreds of thousands in taxpayer cash. A sundown clause doesn’t repair this—it simply units a crash date, inflicting finances chaos, frozen buying, and public security applications in limbo.

Taxpayers deserve the reality: permitted plane price considerably extra, usually require obligatory subscriptions, and aren’t but as succesful. Producers admit this. In Texas phrases, it’s like buying and selling a dependable ranch truck for a pricey, untested prototype that breaks down and might’t haul half a bale of hay. In the meantime, international drones are principally bought by way of U.S.-based resellers, supporting American companies. This invoice hurts native economies and public security groups, not simply China.

Actual-World Penalties of Drone Ban

HB41 bans drones utilized by firefighters mapping wildfires, officers clearing buildings, medics finding lacking folks, and public works mapping roadways. It impacts everybody greater than it hurts China. If your beloved is a sufferer of a violent crime, misplaced in a distant space, or lacking throughout a warmth wave, would you like first responders utilizing second-best instruments to make a political level?

In Corpus Christi, a drone positioned an individual in a medical emergency in dense brush, guiding first responders to avoid wasting their life. In Cass County, a drone helped find a suspect in a capital homicide case after a 9-year-old’s demise. Each instruments are banned underneath HB41. Lately, a “blue” plane, quickly to be required, crashed resulting from suspected twin motor failure, touchdown on a tent. Luckily, nobody was harm.

A Name for Proof-Based mostly Coverage

Lawmakers ought to see public security missions firsthand and speak to pilots earlier than voting. If there’s an actual cybersecurity menace, show it—don’t legislate on a hunch. The Nationwide Protection Authorization Act requires a federal cybersecurity overview of Chinese language drones this 12 months. At minimal, wait till the following legislative session when we’ve got extra details. Let details drive conversations, not speculative paranoia.

HB41 is like telling cities to burn their home down as a result of there may be {an electrical} difficulty sometime. Regardless of third-party audits discovering no knowledge issues, the invoice skips threat mitigation and heads for destruction.

What’s Subsequent and The way to Act

HB41 has handed the committee however should clear the Home Calendars Committee, which decides if it will get a full Home vote. With out their approval, it stalls.

Right here’s what you are able to do

Whether or not you’re in hearth, police, EMS, emergency administration, recreation, public works, parks and rec, or a involved citizen, communicate up. Name and electronic mail your state representatives, particularly the Calendars Committee (information within the description). A fast electronic mail can form the way forward for Texas. Go to droneadvocacyalliance.com for motion instruments, but in addition contact the Calendars Committee instantly. As soon as this invoice features momentum, it’ll be tougher to cease, and the harm could also be carried out.

This isn’t nearly drones—it’s about saving lives, equipping public security with the very best instruments, and holding lawmakers accountable. HB41 is vendor protectionism, benefiting a couple of drone producers whereas harming Texas residents, taxpayers, and first responders.

Share your ideas within the feedback—do you agree or disagree? Let’s talk about. If this was useful, like, share, and subscribe for extra unfiltered public security updates.

Keep sensible, keep flying, keep Texan.