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1 MINNESOTA STATUTES 2025 626.19 626.19 USE OF UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES. Subdivision 1. Application; definitions. (a) This section applies to unmanned aerial vehicle data collected, created, or maintained by a law enforcement agency and to law enforcement agencies that maintain, use, or plan to use an unmanned aerial vehicle in investigations, training, or in response to emergencies, incidents, and requests for service. Unmanned aerial vehicle data collected, created, or maintained by a government entity is classified under chapter 13. (b) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the meanings given: (1) "government entity" has the meaning given in section 13.02, subdivision 7a, except that it does not include a law enforcement agency; (2) "law enforcement agency" has the meaning given in section 626.84, subdivision 1; (3) "unmanned aerial vehicle" or "UAV" means an aircraft that is operated without the possibility of direct human intervention from within or on the aircraft; and (4) "terrorist attack" means a crime that furthers terrorism as defined in section 609.714, subdivision 1. Subd. 2. Use of unmanned aerial vehicles limited. Except as provided in subdivision 3, a law enforcement agency must not use a UAV without a search warrant issued under this chapter. Subd. 3. Authorized use. A law enforcement agency may use a UAV: (1) during or in the aftermath of an emergency situation that involves the risk of death or bodily harm to a person; (2) to document evidence that is at imminent risk of destruction; (3) over a public event where there is a heightened risk to the safety of participants or bystanders; (4) to counter the risk of a terrorist attack by a specific individual or organization if the agency determines that credible intelligence indicates a risk; (5) to prevent the loss of life and property in natural or man-made disasters and to facilitate operational planning, rescue, and recovery operations in the aftermath of these disasters; (6) to conduct a threat assessment in anticipation of a specific event; (7) to collect information from a public area if there is reasonable suspicion of criminal activity; (8) to collect infotination for crash reconstruction purposes after a serious or deadly collision occurring on a public road; (9) over a private area with the written consent of the occupant or a public area, for officer training or public relations purposes; (10) for purposes unrelated to law enforcement at the request of a government entity provided that the government entity makes the request in writing to the law enforcement agency and specifies the reason for the request and proposed period of use; and (11) to facilitate the active search for a missing person. Official Publication of the State of Minnesota Revisor of Statutes