ECTOR COUNTY, Texas — Drones have been the talk of the skies.
In the Lonestar State, the Texas Privacy Act makes it illegal to use drones to capture 'images' or data of people or private property if the goal is to spy on them.
The word 'image' is anything a drone captures like pictures or videos of a person or place. This includes visible images, sounds, heat or smells.
Examples of important places where drones can't be flown over under the 'Critical infrastructure facility':
- Oil and gas facilities
- Dams and water plants
- Power plants
Examples of when it's legal to use a drone:
- Research or school projects at a higher education institution
- Government Work during military missions
- Images captured by a satellite for purpose of mapping
- With the consent of a property owner
- Law enforcement efforts finding missing people, investigating crashes, or securing the border.
The Ector County Sheriff's Office has a team of officers who use drones during active crime scenes, and as a tool towards public safety.