SENATE BILL No. 917

 

 

April 26, 2016, Introduced by Senators MACGREGOR, JONES, STAMAS, KNEZEK, MARLEAU and SCHUITMAKER and referred to the Committee on Transportation.

 

 

 

     A bill to amend 1945 PA 327, entitled

 

"Aeronautics code of the state of Michigan,"

 

by amending section 9 (MCL 259.9), as amended by 2002 PA 35, and by

 

adding section 96.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 9. As used in this act:

 

     (a) "Taxi" means the moving of an aircraft under its own

 

power, either on the ground or on the surface of the water, prior

 

to before the beginning of the take-off run and after the end of

 

the landing run.

 

     (b) "Temporary commercial operations" means any commercial

 

operation conducted for a period of not to exceed more than 120

 

days per calendar year.

 

     (c) "Ultralight" means an aircraft meeting that meets the

 

requirements of 14 C.F.R. CFR part 103.


     (d) "Unmanned aerial system" means an unmanned aircraft and

 

all of the associated support equipment, control station, data

 

links, telemetry, communications, navigation equipment, and other

 

equipment necessary to operate the unmanned aircraft.

 

     (e) "Unmanned aircraft" means the flying portion of an

 

unmanned aerial system, flown by a pilot via a ground control

 

system, or autonomously through use of an on-board computer,

 

communication links, and any additional equipment that is necessary

 

for the unmanned aircraft to operate safely.

 

     (f) (d) "Vehicle" means any a device in, upon, on, or by which

 

a person an individual or property is or may be transported, except

 

an aircraft.

 

     Sec. 96. A person that is authorized or licensed by the

 

Federal Aviation Administration to operate unmanned aerial systems

 

for commercial purposes may operate an unmanned aerial system in

 

this state if the unmanned aerial system is operated in a manner

 

consistent with the authorization or licensure.

 

     Enacting section 1. This amendatory act takes effect 90 days

 

after the date it is enacted into law.