Calif. Gov. Brown Signs Bill Prohibiting Drone Use Over Private Property

California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) signed AB-856 Tuesday. The bill, which closes a loophole in existing law by clarifying paparazzi are trespassing when flying a drone over private property, was authored by Democratic Assembly member Ian Calderon. “Paparazzi have used drones for years to invade the privacy and capture pictures of public persons in their most private of activities -- despite existing law,” Calderon said in a news release Tuesday. AB-856 prohibits drones from being used to fly over fences, bypass gates and travel into private sanctuaries to peer into windows, capture goings on and otherwise spy on the private lives of public persons, Calderon said.