A California bill that would have restricted the use of aerial drones died Wednesday due in large part to opposition from several technology companies and their associations.

Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed legislation that would have prohibited drones from flying lower than 350 feet over private property without consent from the property owner. In this veto message, Brown said that while the bill was well intentioned, it "could expose the occasional hobbyist and FAA-approved commercial user alike to burdensome litigation and new causes of action."

Amazon and Google both spoke out against the bill, mostly because the companies plan to deploy drones for commercial use, according to tech news site Re/code. Other opponents included the Consumer Electronics Association and Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, which penned a joint statement last month criticizing the legislation as "unnecessary, innovation stifling and job-killing." http://on.recode.net/1Q3K2Nk

Both groups released statements Wednesday thanking Brown for his veto.

"We applaud Governor Brown for vetoing this unnecessary and restrictive legislation," AUVSI CEO Brian Wynne said. "While the industry supports the safe, non-intrusive use of UAS technology, (the bill) would have stifled innovation, hampered economic growth and created inconsistencies with federal law."

CEA CEO Gary Shapiro said that while issues of privacy should be addressed, the bill was the wrong approach.

"With this veto, the governor has set a path for drones and other unmanned aircrafts to continue revolutionizing a wide array of consumer and commercial activities, creating new businesses and jobs and providing life-changing solutions," he said.

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