Iconic California tech companies are helping to pioneer the drone revolution. For over a year, Google’s advanced-research arm, Google X, has been testing its Project Wing aircraft in cooperation with NASA, moving ever-closer to its goal of deploying a fleet of drones to deliver goods to customers. Elsewhere, Amazon, another tech giant, is building its own drone program, Prime Air, “a future delivery system from Amazon designed to safely get packages into customers’ hands in 30 minutes or less using small unmanned aerial vehicles.” But drones are not the exclusive province of tech giants. Countless startups with their eyes to the sky are adapting drone technology to many industries. And California has emerged as the launching point.

California Governor Jerry Brown has long supported technological innovation. In 2012, for instance, he signed legislation that opened the door for testing autonomous vehicles in California. So it should come as no surprise that Governor Brown considered bills to regulate drones with a critical eye following the recently concluded legislative session.