PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Oct 7, 2015
Safety for Airports and Firefighters by Ensuring Drones Refrain from Obstructing Necessary Equipment Act of 2015 or the SAFE DRONE Act of 2015
This bill amends the federal criminal code to make it a crime to knowingly operate a drone in a restricted area. A "restricted area" is an area that is:
within a two-mile radius of a hub airport or an ongoing firefighting operation, or
subject to a temporary flight restriction issued by the Federal Aviation Administration.
The prohibition does not apply to government operations in response to a fire or emergency.
Violators are subject to fines, up to one year in prison, or both.
People & committees
Sen. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA] · D–CA
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Aug 10, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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