NRS 493.112 Unmanned aerial vehicles: Operation by law enforcement agency; warrant required under certain circumstances; information acquired in violation of section inadmissible and may not be used to establish reasonable suspicion or probable cause.

780 words·~4 min read·/nv/chapter-493-general-provisions/493-112

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

1. Except as otherwise provided in this section, nothing in this section shall be deemed to otherwise prohibit the operation of an unmanned aerial vehicle by a law enforcement agency for any lawful purpose in this State.

2. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 3, a law enforcement agency shall not operate an unmanned aerial vehicle for the purpose of gathering evidence or other information within the curtilage of a residence or at any other location or upon any property in this State at which a person has a reasonable expectation of privacy, unless the law enforcement agency first obtains a warrant from a court of competent jurisdiction authorizing the use of the unmanned aerial vehicle for that purpose.

A warrant authorizing the use of an unmanned aerial vehicle must specify the period for which operation of the unmanned aerial vehicle is authorized. A warrant must not authorize the use of an unmanned aerial vehicle for a period of more than 10 days. Upon motion and a showing of probable cause, a court may renew a warrant after the expiration of the period for which the warrant was initially issued.

3. A law enforcement agency may operate an unmanned aerial vehicle without obtaining a warrant issued pursuant to subsection 2:

(a)If the law enforcement agency has probable cause to believe that a person has committed a crime, is committing a crime or is about to commit a crime, and exigent circumstances exist that make it unreasonable for the law enforcement agency to obtain a warrant authorizing the use of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

(b)If a person provides written consent to the law enforcement agency authorizing the law enforcement agency to acquire information about the person or the real or personal property of the person. The written consent must specify the information to be gathered and the time, place and manner in which the information is to be gathered by the law enforcement agency.

(c)For the purpose of conducting search and rescue operations for persons and property in distress.

(d)Under circumstances in which the law enforcement agency believes that an imminent threat exists to the life and safety of an individual person or to the public at large, including, without limitation, the threat of an act of terrorism. A law enforcement agency that operates an unmanned aerial vehicle pursuant to this paragraph shall document the factual basis for its belief that such an imminent threat exists and shall, not later than 2 business days after initiating operation, file a sworn statement with a court of competent jurisdiction describing the nature of the imminent threat and the need for the operation of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

(e)Upon the declaration of a state of emergency or disaster by the Governor. A law enforcement agency that operates an unmanned aerial vehicle pursuant to this paragraph shall not use the unmanned aerial vehicle outside of the geographic area specified in the declaration or for any purpose other than the preservation of public safety, the protection of property, or the assessment and evaluation of environmental or weather-related damage, erosion or contamination.

4. Any photograph, image, recording or other information that is acquired by a law enforcement agency through the operation of an unmanned aerial vehicle in violation of this section, or that is acquired from any other person or governmental entity, including, without limitation, a public agency and any department or agency of the Federal Government, that obtained the photograph, image, recording or other information in a manner inconsistent with the requirements of this section, and any evidence that is derived therefrom:

(a)Is not admissible in and must not be disclosed in a judicial, administrative or other adjudicatory proceeding; and

(b)May not be used to establish reasonable suspicion or probable cause as the basis for investigating or prosecuting a crime or offense.

5. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, a law enforcement agency shall not operate, purchase or acquire any unmanned aerial vehicle or other equipment or service relating to the operation of an unmanned aerial vehicle in violation of the regulations adopted by the Department pursuant to subsection 6 of NRS 493.118 . A law enforcement agency may operate or use an unmanned aerial vehicle or other equipment or service relating to the operation of an unmanned aerial vehicle that was purchased or acquired before the effective date of the regulations adopted by the Department pursuant to subsection 6 of NRS 493.118 .