# KRS § 500.130: 500.130 Operation of unmanned aircraft system -- Definitions -- Restrictions > Kentucky · Statutes · In force URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_KY_TL_C500_S500.130 ## Section - **Citation:** KRS § 500.130 - **Heading:** 500.130 Operation of unmanned aircraft system -- Definitions -- Restrictions - **Jurisdiction:** Kentucky - **Kind:** Statutes - **Status:** In force - **Text as of:** August 14, 2026 - **Source:** Compiled text - **Location:** KY Code / Title L / Chapter 500 / Section 500.130 ## Text 500.130 Operation of unmanned aircraft system -- Definitions -- Restrictions. (1) As used in this section: (a) "Communications service" means a cable, broadband, streaming, or telecommunications service; and (b) "Surveillance" means: 1. With respect to an owner, tenant, occupant, invitee, or licensee of privately owned real property, the observation of such persons with sufficient visual clarity to be able to obtain information about their identity, habits, conduct, movements, or location; or 2. With respect to privately owned real property, the observation of such property's physical improvements with sufficient visual clarity to be able to determine unique identifying features or its occupancy by one (1) or more persons. (2) Except for unmanned aircraft systems operated by the United States Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, or Coast Guard, or a reserve component thereof, or by the Army National Guard or Air National Guard, unmanned aircraft systems may not be equipped with a lethal payload. (3) Except as provided in subsection (12) of this section, any business entity doing business lawfully within this state may use an unmanned aircraft system for business purposes, in compliance with 14 C.F.R. pt. 107. Business entities operating an unmanned aircraft system pursuant to this subsection may include but are not limited to: (a) A property appraiser, assessing property for ad valorem taxation with the express, prior, written permission of the owner, tenant, occupant, invitee, or licensee of the privately owned real property; (b) A utility or communications service; (c) An entity conducting aerial mapping; (d) An entity conducting cargo; (e) An insurance company or a person acting on behalf of an insurance company for purposes of underwriting an insurance risk or investigating damage to insured property; or (f) An entity conducting images necessary for the safe operation or navigation of an unmanned aircraft system that is being used for a purpose allowed under federal or Kentucky law. (4) Any recreational user may operate an unmanned aircraft system within this state, in compliance with 14 C.F.R. pt. 101. (5) Any institution of higher education, or school district, may use an unmanned aircraft system for educational, research, or testing purposes. (6) No law enforcement agency, or agent thereof, shall use an unmanned aircraft system to conduct a search unless authorized under the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution and Section 10 of the Kentucky Constitution. If the search is conducted pursuant to a warrant, the warrant shall specifically authorize the use of an unmanned aircraft system. (7) Except as limited by subsection (6) of this section, any government agency, including a law enforcement agency, may use an unmanned aircraft system for legitimate governmental purposes. (8) When an unmanned aircraft system is used by law enforcement pursuant to subsections (6) and (7) of this section, it shall be operated in a lawful manner and shall minimize data collection on nonsuspects. Disclosure of such data shall be prohibited except by order of a court of competent jurisdiction. (9) No evidence obtained or collected as the result of the use of an unmanned aircraft system shall be admissible as evidence in any civil, criminal, or administrative proceeding within this state for the purpose of enforcing state or local law, except for: (a) Evidence collected as permitted by subsections (3) to (7) of this section; or except by order of a court of competent jurisdiction. (9) No evidence obtained or collected as the result of the use of an unmanned aircraft system shall be admissible as evidence in any civil, criminal, or administrative proceeding within this state for the purpose of enforcing state or local law, except for: (a) Evidence collected as permitted by subsections (3) to (7) of this section; or (b) Evidence which is offered against the owner or operator of an unmanned aircraft system to show misconduct. (10) No law enforcement agency shall be required to operate unmanned aircraft systems. (11) Operation of an unmanned aircraft system in violation of subsection (3) or (4) of this section shall be a violation for the first offense and a Class B misdemeanor for the second or subsequent offense. (12) A person operating an unmanned aircraft system pursuant to subsections (3) to (5) of this section shall not use an unmanned aircraft system to record an image of privately owned real property or of the owner, tenant, occupant, invitee, or licensee of such property with the intent to conduct surveillance on, or publish unauthorized images of, the individual or property captured in the image in violation of the person's reasonable expectation of privacy. For purposes of this subsection, a person is presumed to have a reasonable expectation of privacy on his or her privately owned real property if he or she is not observable by persons located at ground level in a place where they have a legal right to be, regardless of whether he or she is observable from the air with the use of an unmanned aircraft system. ## Nearby sections - [KRS § 500.010 500.010 Title](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_KY_TL_C500_S500.010.md) - [KRS § 500.020 500.020 Offenses defined by statute -- Common law abolished](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_KY_TL_C500_S500.020.md) - [KRS § 500.030 500.030 Rule of construction](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_KY_TL_C500_S500.030.md) - [KRS § 500.040 500.040 Restrictions on applicability](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_KY_TL_C500_S500.040.md) - [KRS § 500.050 500.050 Time limitations](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_KY_TL_C500_S500.050.md) - [KRS § 500.060 500.060 Territorial applicability](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_KY_TL_C500_S500.060.md) - [KRS § 500.070 500.070 Burden of proof -- Defenses](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_KY_TL_C500_S500.070.md) - [KRS § 500.080 500.080 Definitions for Kentucky Penal Code](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_KY_TL_C500_S500.080.md) - [KRS § 500.090 500.090 Forfeiture](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_KY_TL_C500_S500.090.md) - [KRS § 500.092 500.092 Forfeiture of personal property not used as a residence triggered by violation or attempted violation of certain offenses -- Forfeiture of real and personal property associated with violation or attempted violation of KRS 531.310 or 531.320](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_KY_TL_C500_S500.092.md) - [KRS § 500.093 500.093 Prohibition against court or law enforcement agency retaining firearms or ammunition to prevent their transfer or sale](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_KY_TL_C500_S500.093.md) - [KRS § 500.095 500.095 Alternative sentence of community work](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_KY_TL_C500_S500.095.md) - [KRS § 500.100 500.100 Effect of commentary](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_KY_TL_C500_S500.100.md) - [KRS § 500.110 500.110 Trial of prisoner on untried indictment within 180 days after prisoner's request for final disposition](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_KY_TL_C500_S500.110.md) --- Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_KY_TL_C500_S500.130. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.