Prohibited possession, alteration, or operation of unmanned aircraft or unmanned aircraft system.

(1) As used in this section, the term:

(a) “Unmanned aircraft” has the same meaning as the term “drone” in s. 934.50(2).

(b) “Unmanned aircraft system” has the same meaning as in s. 330.41(2).

(2) A person may not knowingly or willfully possess or operate an unmanned aircraft or unmanned aircraft system with an attached weapon, firearm, explosive, destructive device, or ammunition as those terms are defined in s. 790.001.

(3)(a) For the purposes of violating s. 330.41(4)(a), a person may not knowingly or willfully:

1. Alter, manipulate, tamper with, or otherwise change an unmanned aircraft or unmanned aircraft system’s hardware or software to purposefully frustrate any tool, system, or technology intended to satisfy the remote identification requirements established by the Federal Aviation Administration as they relate to any unmanned aircraft or unmanned aircraft system; or

2. Possess or operate an unmanned aircraft or unmanned aircraft system that has been altered, manipulated, tampered with, or otherwise changed to purposefully frustrate any tool, system, or technology intended to satisfy the remote identification requirements established by the Federal Aviation Administration as they relate to any unmanned aircraft or unmanned aircraft system.

(b) This subsection does not apply if a person is authorized by the administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration or the Secretary of Defense, or their respective designees, to alter, possess, or operate such an altered unmanned aircraft or unmanned aircraft system.

(4) A person who violates subsection (2) or subsection (3) commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

(5) A person who, without lawful authority, possesses or operates an unmanned aircraft or unmanned aircraft system carrying a weapon of mass destruction or a hoax weapon of mass destruction, as those terms are defined in s. 790.166(1)(a) and (b), respectively, commits a felony of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.