Drone operator warns Senate Bill 180 could put lives at risk

COLUMBUS — A northwest Ohio drone operator told lawmakers this week that a proposed statewide ban on DJI drones could jeopardize lives and waste taxpayer money.

Les Bowen, owner of Elite Drone Services in Delphos, spoke before the Senate Transportation Committee in opposition to Senate Bill 180. He said the measure — which would prohibit state agencies and first responders from using drones manufactured in China — would “directly endanger lives, reduce first responder effectiveness, and jeopardize small businesses.”

Bowen cited a recent case in Mercer County, where he helped locate an 89-year-old missing man using a DJI drone equipped with thermal imaging. The man was found alive after 36 hours outdoors. Bowen said that without that specific technology, “that man almost certainly would not have survived the day.”

He argued that claims of security risks from DJI drones are unproven and that replacing them with U.S.-made models would cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars while providing “less capable” equipment.

Bowen urged lawmakers to reject the bill, saying it would be a step backward for public safety, innovation, and fiscal responsibility. To view Les Bowen's testimony:

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