Drones and National Security: The Regulatory Landscape
Jones Day Talks: Developments in Germany's Wind Power Regulations
On August 21, in a long-awaited action, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) adopted a Report and Order (Order) establishing rules to allow limited access to spectrum in the 5030-5091 MHz band for use by...more
The military conflicts in Ukraine and Israel have highlighted the role that small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) might play in future conflicts. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act of 2024 (the...more
In Long Lake Township v. Maxon, the Michigan Supreme Court had the opportunity to critically consider the extent to which property owners have an inherent right to prevent unwanted drone incursions into the airspace...more
Sports fans may recall a bizarre incident in November 2023 during the Monday Night Football Ravens-Bengals matchup- a small drone made an unexpected appearance overhead at the M&T Bank Stadium, causing chaos and two delays of...more
The Fifth Circuit’s recent decision in National Press Photographers Association v. McCraw threatens to dilute the First Amendment rights of photographers and filmmakers using uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS), and undermine...more
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been working toward one goal when it comes to drones: get more of them safely in the air. However, right now, the FAA is without a permanent leader or a stable funding package....more
The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Remote ID Rule (Remote ID) is a regulation that requires all drones registered with the FAA to be capable of broadcasting their identification and location information in real time....more
Two more companies will conduct drone operations beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS). Recently, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved UPS Flight Forward and uAvionix for this type of operation in national...more
The FAA has just updated its policy statement regarding the legal considerations applicable to state and local regulation of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). Originally issued in 2015, the FAA “fact sheet” was intended to...more
The Federal Aviation Administration ("FAA") released an updated Fact Sheet clarifying its perspective on the limits of state and local governments to regulate drones. ...more
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently offered new guidance on the boundaries of federal, state, and local authority to regulate uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS or drones). The FAA’s new analysis resolves several...more
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has just released a 55-page report containing a series of recommendation for improving the FAA’s integration of drones into the National Airspace System (NAS). In conducting this...more
The holiday season is here again, and many university students will return in January sporting a brand new drone. Drones have come a long way from the unwieldy RC copters of the past, and modern drones can operate across...more
Owners and buyers of commercial buildings are increasingly using drones also known as unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), to inspect roofs and other exterior elements of buildings. In addition to making it easier to access the...more
For the past ten years, Congress has attempted to establish a framework for how model aircraft and recreations flyers of unmanned aircraft should operate in the national airspace system. Through the FAA Reauthorization Act...more
This week, Soaring Eagle Technologies, a drone data collection company that provides services for critical infrastructure in the U.S., received one of the first beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) waivers from the Federal...more
Cathy Lanier, the Chief Security Officer for the National Football League (NFL), is concerned about unauthorized drones flying above stadiums during games and the potential for accidents or even a mass attack on the crowd...more
The Virginia Tech Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership (MAAP) was selected to lead one of the teams participating in the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) traffic management (UTM) Field...more
Americans are using uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS or drones) more than ever, with the FAA reporting registering 865,505 drones as of May of this year. The benefits of drones, from aiding first responders to package delivery,...more
This week, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a task order contract to the New York UAS Test Site for an unmanned aircraft system (UAS or drone) integration project. The project is designed to assist in the...more
RaceDayQuads, a racing drone retailer based in Orlando, Florida, and Tyler Brennan, a drone operator (collectively, Petitioners), filed a Petition for Review of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Remote...more
On July 29, 2022, the D.C. Circuit upheld the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Remote ID Rule against a grab-bag of constitutional and procedural challenges brought by a drone user named Tyler Brennan and his company...more
The FAA’s remote identification rules for unmanned aircraft (Remote ID) are back on track. The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has just rejected the last serious challenge to the...more
It’s been nearly a decade since drones first burst onto the scene. Drones used to be something many of us initially considered too high-tech for ordinary aviation hobbyists and associated them more with military applications....more
Counter-drone technology is being developed and deployed by governmental agencies at an increasing rate. In light of this, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and its Subcommittee on Aviation requested...more