---
kind: "section"
citation: "18 U.S.C. § 39B"
title: "18"
title_heading: "Crimes and Criminal Procedure"
number: "39B"
heading: "Unsafe operation of unmanned aircraft"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/18/39B"
units:
  - "Part I — Crimes"
  - "Chapter 2 — Aircraft and Motor Vehicles"
---

# §39B. Unsafe operation of unmanned aircraft

- (a) **Offense.—** Any [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) who operates an unmanned [aircraft](/usc/18/31.md?p=a-1) and:
  - (1) Knowingly interferes with, or disrupts the operation of, an [aircraft](/usc/18/31.md?p=a-1) carrying 1 or more occupants operating in the [special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States](/usc/18/31.md?p=b), in a manner that poses an imminent safety hazard to such occupants, shall be punished as provided in [subsection (c)](#c).
  - (2) Recklessly interferes with, or disrupts the operation of, an [aircraft](/usc/18/31.md?p=a-1) carrying 1 or more occupants operating in the [special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States](/usc/18/31.md?p=b), in a manner that poses an imminent safety hazard to such occupants, shall be punished as provided in [subsection (c)](#c).
- (b) **Operation of Unmanned Aircraft in Close Proximity to Airports.—**
  - (1) **In general.—** Any [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) who, without authorization, knowingly operates an unmanned [aircraft](/usc/18/31.md?p=a-1) within a runway exclusion zone shall be punished as provided in [subsection (c)](#c).
  - (2) **Runway exclusion zone defined.—** In this subsection, the term “runway exclusion zone” means a rectangular area—
    - (A) centered on the centerline of an active runway of an airport immediately around which the airspace is designated as class B, class C, or class D airspace at the surface under part 71 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations; and
    - (B) the length of which extends parallel to the runway’s centerline to points that are 1 statute mile from each end of the runway and the width of which is ½ statute mile.
- (c) **Penalty.—**
  - (1) **In general.—** Except as provided in [paragraph (2)](#c-2), the punishment for an offense under subsections[^1] (a) or (b) shall be a fine under this title, imprisonment for not more than 1 year, or both.
  - (2) **Serious bodily injury or death.—** Any [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) who:
    - (A) Causes [serious bodily injury](/usc/18/2246.md?p=4) or death during the commission of an offense under [subsection (a)(2)](#a-2) shall be fined under this title, imprisoned for a term of up to 10 years, or both.
    - (B) Causes, or attempts or conspires to cause, [serious bodily injury](/usc/18/2246.md?p=4) or death during the commission of an offense under subsections [(a)(1)](#a-1) and [(b)](#b) shall be fined under this title, imprisoned for any term of years or for life, or both.

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. Probably should be “subsection”.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 115–254, div. B, title III, § 384(a), Oct. 5, 2018, 132 Stat. 3322.)