6 U.S.C. § 124n–1 — Penalties

(a) Definition. In this section, "unmanned aircraft" means what it means in 49 U.S.C. § 44801. (b) Omitted. This subsection is marked as omitted in the statutory text; it contains no current substantive text here. (c) Increased penalties for using a drone to help commit a felony. If someone is convicted of a felony (other than a crime that's just about flying a drone) and they knowingly used a drone during, to help, or in connection with that felony, the maximum prison sentence for that felony doubles — or goes up by 5 years, whichever adds less time. (d) Increased penalties for smuggling contraband into prison by drone. If someone is convicted under 18 U.S.C. § 1791 for giving a banned item to an inmate, and they used a drone to do it, their maximum sentence goes up by 5 years. (e) Instructions to the U.S. Sentencing Commission. (1) During its current round of guideline updates, the Commission must write or amend sentencing guidelines to substantially raise the sentencing range for any crime involving drone use, and add policy statements to help apply this section. (2) When the enhanced penalty in (c) applies, the guidelines must raise the base offense level by at least 6 levels; in all other drone-related cases, by at least 4 levels. (f) Penalties for unauthorized counter-drone actions. Anyone authorized under section 124n of this title to take counter-drone actions, who knowingly takes those actions without the federal coordination that law requires, faces either (1) a civil fine of up to $100,000 per violation, or (2) having their counter-drone authority suspended pending review by the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security. (g) Civil enforcement. The Attorney General can sue in federal court to collect these fines and enforce these penalties. (h) Effective date. This section, and the changes it makes, take effect 30 days after December 18, 2025.