For months the Pitt County Commissioners have been looking to enact regulations on drones, but those regulations are going to have to wait a little longer.

The commissioners did vote on a proposal Monday night that would create specific drone laws in the county, regulating the take off and landing of drones and adding exclusions for farmers and agricultural uses of drones. But the motion failed to be enacted after the commission failed to come to a unanimous vote

Commissioner Tom Coulson says, "This is well written. It's very narrow. It is not covered, as suggested a while ago, by the FAA. So what do we want to do? We want to wait until something happens?"

With the changes came limited support from people during the public comment period. But questions still persisted among commissioners who felt the ordinance would be hard to enforce.

Commissioner Glen Webb says, "I agree with the spirit of this, but I think the practicality of it would be tough. And it just seems like something the state should address so we have a uniform - so we don't have a hundred different drone rules across the state."

And with no votes from Commissioners Glen Webb and Ann Floyd Huggins, the proposed legislation did not meet the required unanimous consensus to act, which means it will have to be proposed yet again to the commission at some point in the next 100 days for further consideration.

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One local county is considering a new ordinance that would make it the first county in the state to place specific restrictions on the use of drones or other unmanned aircrafts.

Back on December 1st, WITN reported on new state laws regarding the use of drones that went into effect.

Monday evening, Pitt County commissioners voted to consider a new ordinance that could restrict drone use in areas of the county even further.

The Pitt County Board of Commissioners voted 6-3 in favor of moving forward with the drafting of the new ordinance.

"The FAA has enacted drone rules and regulations, but at the same time, have acknowledged that there is a limited rule for local governments to be involved in regulating drones," says Jordan Smith, the assisting county attorney.

Traditionally laws regarding drones are determined by the federal government, but since the take-off and landing of drones originates on land, those aspects of drone use can be regulated by local governments.

For some commissioners, the ordinance is a way for the county to stay ahead of the curve on an increasingly popular technology.

"How many times have we heard on the news where the dots weren't connected and governments didn't take action and it was foreseeable, says Commissioner Tom Coulson. "This is one of those things. These things pose a danger."

While others looked at the proposal as unnecessary and in possible conflict with federal rules and regulations.

"Well I'm concerned about staff spending the time to do this," says Commissioner Ann Floyd Huggins.

If enacted, the potential ordinance would only affect unincorporated areas, though it was decided that the ordinance will be written in a way so that municipalities within the county could also accept and enforce the ordinance.

This vote only means that lawyers and staff for the county can start drafting an ordinance.

As a basis, they'll be using a template from an organization in California to be sure not to interfere with any federal laws, and assuming everything stays according to plan, commissioners could vote on enacting these rules as early as next month.

Some of the potential regulations that are in consideration for adoption into the draft include restrictions on having drones take off or land on property that is not owned by the operator, and restrictions on flying drones within 25 feet of a person who has not provided consent.