18 USC § 796 - Use of aircraft for photographing defense installations

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t18/s796"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "18 USC § 796 - Use of aircraft for photographing defense installations"
title_number: 18
title_name: "CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE"
section_number: "796"
section_name: "Use of aircraft for photographing defense installations"
chapter_number: 37
chapter_name: "ESPIONAGE AND CENSORSHIP"
part_number: "I"
part_name: "CRIMES"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-21"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 738; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(H), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.)"
---


# § 796. Use of aircraft for photographing defense installations

section 795 of this title

Whoever uses or permits the use of an aircraft or any contrivance used, or designed for navigation or flight in the air, for the purpose of making a photograph, sketch, picture, drawing, map, or graphical representation of vital military or naval installations or equipment, in violation of , shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.

---

**Source Credit**: (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 738; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(H), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.)

### Historical and Revision Notes

Based on sections 45, 45a, and 45c of title 50, U.S.C., 1940 ed., War and National Defense (, §§ 1, 2, 4, , 4).

Reference to persons causing or procuring was omitted as unnecessary in view of definition of “principal” in .

Punishment provided by  is repeated, and is from said , U.S.C., 1940 ed.

Minor changes were made in phraseology.

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1994— substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $1,000”.