Ciresi introduces bill to prohibit trespassing using drones
Rep. Joseph Ciresi October 17, 2025 | 11:42 AM
HARRISBURG, Oct. 17 – A bill, H.B. 1926, prohibiting trespassing with a drone was introduced this week by state Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery.
The bill would strengthen criminal trespass laws in Pennsylvania.
“Although state law in Pennsylvania forbids someone from physically trespassing on another person’s property, it has not been adapted to include the use of drone technology,” Ciresi said. “My legislation would update state laws to prohibit trespass by drone, bringing Pennsylvania in line with other states such as Utah and Virginia, which already expressly prohibit it.”
Ciresi was alerted to the issue by a constituent whose property had been repeatedly trespassed by a drone and found that the local police had difficulty filing charges because of limitations in existing state law.
House Bill 1926 would prohibit the use of a drone if a person uses it to enter or remain over the property of another person with the intention of coercing, intimidating or causing annoyance, damaging property, or defying an order to leave or not enter the property as presented to the offender by the owner of the property, another authorized person or a law enforcement officer.
“This bill would update state law to account for proliferation of the use of drones and hold bad actors accountable when they misuse this technology,” Ciresi said.