Legislation designed to keep spy drones from eavesdropping on the day-to-day lives of Granite Staters cleared its first hurdle Thursday, when a House committee endorsed the proposal.


A newly amended version of House Bill 619, would bar governments from using tiny airborne devices called drones capable of capturing sounds and images of people on the ground to hover around and about the state keeping track of what people are up to.


Exceptions would be allowed for searches conducted with a warrant, to head off a "high-risk" terrorist threat or to prevent "imminent" harm to life or serious damage to property.


The bill would also allow aerial photographs taken at a height from which people can't be identified.


Supporters embraced the idea that advanced technology is making snooping far too easy, and called for New Hampshire to take a leadership position on the issue.


"This type of technology just blew my mind, some of this stuff is the size of a mosquito," said Rep. Gene Charron, R-Chester. "There's your privacy, folks."