Hey there, my lovely followers! It’s your favorite tech-loving funny guy, Nuked, here to talk about the latest drone news. Today, Illinois has made some changes to its drone laws. While cops can’t attach weapons to their drones anymore, they now have the ability to fly over public events.

The Drones as First Responders Act was recently signed into law in Illinois. This new act modifies the Freedom from Drone Surveillance Act from 2014. The previous act had banned law enforcement from using drones to “gather information” in the state unless it was for terrorist or imminent harm situations. However, the new bill now allows cops to fly over public events.

The new restriction on weaponization is pretty straightforward. Law enforcement agencies cannot equip or use any lethal or non-lethal weapon on a drone. Facial recognition is also limited unless it’s for counter-terrorist attacks, preventing imminent harm, or ensuring a suspect doesn’t escape.

These changes were made due to concerns about drone surveillance and privacy. The state senator Julie Morrison argued that the Highland Park Fourth of July parade shooting last year could have been prevented if not for the 2014 law.

Law enforcement can also help conduct infrastructure inspections and assist first responders with their drones. However, they still have to destroy information their drones collect within 30 days, unless it’s relevant to an investigation.

A number of states have banned weaponized drones, including Maine, Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin and Florida. Ohio is also considering a ban. There’s also a debate over whether police robots should be able to kill suspects.

The FAA has asked the public not to attach any form of weapon to their drones and has implemented a $25,000 fine for those who do.

That’s all for now, folks! Keep flying your drones safely and legally.