Gov. Ron DeSantis’ ideological assaults on drag queens, personal pronouns and the Walt Disney Company have restored Florida to its familiar position of national punchline. And his recent backing of a permitless concealed carry law and a six-week abortion ban, in spite of polls showing a majority of Floridians want neither, shows exactly what he thinks of most Floridians.
Now, enter the drones. Specifically, an estimated $200 million worth of aerial drones that, until recently, were being used productively by police, firefighters and mosquito control districts across Florida and in Tampa Bay. The problem for DeSantis (and the posse of adoring legislators who do his every bidding): The drones are manufactured by China-based Da Jiang Innovations, or DJI. Despite presenting no evidence they pose a security risk, the DeSantis administration says it is taking no chances with Chinese spying and has ordered them shelved.
A lot of law enforcement officials, and even a few Republican lawmakers, are not pleased with the decision. “I’m not going to let one officer risk his life or her life because someone thinks that these things talk to China,” Sen. Tom Wright, R-New Smyrna Beach, said last month during a Senate committee hearing where he tried unsuccessfully to allow law enforcement to keep flying the Chinese-made drones.
Police officers already carry watches, phones and body cameras made in China, Wright noted. And officers can own a DJI drone for personal use but not on the job, where drones help pursue criminals, identify missing people and keep watch on barricaded suspects.
Here’s a bigger question: Why would China even want to watch drone footage of police pulling over a speeding car or arresting someone on an outstanding warrant? Especially when much of the information collected by drones already is a public record under Florida law. Anyone could ask for it. DeSantis doesn’t seem bothered by such inconsistencies. He is too busy stoking the paranoia of the MAGA base he needs for his potential presidential primary run.
Under his administration’s new drone rule, government agencies in Florida can now use only drones made by a handful of approved manufacturers — most of them U.S.-based — and not the DJI drones, which are by far the most popular in the world. Some police departments have told lawmakers they’ve found the Florida-approved replacements more costly, less capable and sometimes more dangerous. For example, an approved drone set a deputy’s patrol car on fire in Palm Beach County, an official testified. Others can’t be used at night. Once again, the governor is responsible for a poorly thought-out decision that is having real life consequences.
If DeSantis truly wants to impress potential voters, he could try doing more to help Florida residents deal with the very real impact of the property insurance mess ruining lives across the state. Six months after Hurricane Ian devastated parts of Southwest Florida, more than 140,000 claims for damage remain open, according to the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation. Many affected homeowners are displaced or living in tents on their property.
And even homeowners not directly hit by the storm are about to get hit in the wallet. Property insurance rates in Florida — already the highest in the U.S. — are expected to jump as much as 40 percent in 2023. That’s enough to force some people from their homes. Some, presumably, are Republicans.
Insurance reform doesn’t offer as much red meat as drag performances or Chinese-made drones, but it does affect people’s lives. DeSantis might want to consider running on that.
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Editorials are the institutional voice of the Tampa Bay Times. The members of the Editorial Board are Editor of Editorials Graham Brink, Sherri Day, Sebastian Dortch, John Hill, Jim Verhulst and Chairman and CEO Conan Gallaty. Follow @TBTimes_Opinion on Twitter for more opinion news.
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