MEPs on the European Parliament’s transport committee have signalled support for a resolution urging new EU regulation for civilian drones. Continue reading
Category Archives: Regulatory Matters
Multinational Law Firm Hires Gretchen West
Multinational law firm Hogan Lovells has hired unmanned aircraft systems advocate Gretchen West, who will provide business and regulatory consulting to the firm’s clients who use or seek to use drones commercially.
West, a nonlawyer with an MBA, joins the firm’s Silicon Valley government regulatory practice as senior advisor for innovation and technology. She joins from commercial drone software startup DroneDeploy, where she was vice president of business development and regulatory affairs. She expects to work quite a bit with Hogan Lovells’ clients in the energy, agriculture and mining industries.
FAA Grants Measure Approval to Operate 300 Drone Fleet
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has made Measure the only company with permission to fly more than 300 different types of drones for a broad range of commercial applications.
FAA Approved Commercial Drone Exemptions
The Verge has partnered with the Center for the Study of the Drone at Bard College to collect data on every commercial exemption the FAA grants. It’s a fascinating snapshot of a fast-growing industry still in its infancy.
Analysis of FAA Section 333 Exemptions
At the end of July, the FAA granted its 1,000th exemption. An analysis of the exemptions, as reflected in the chart below, shows that nearly half are for applications involving photography, including videography and film production. The next most frequent industries cited in approved exemption petitions are real estate and utilities/energy/infrastructure, which made up roughly one-third and one-quarter, respectively, of granted exemptions. Rounding out the top five are agriculture and construction, both appearing in around one-fifth of approved exemption petitions. Continue reading
FAA Releases Updated Model Aircraft Guidance
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has published updated guidance on model aircraft operations that reflects current law governing hobby or recreational use of unmanned aircraft. Continue reading
FAA Selects New Unmanned Aircraft Executives
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has selected Marke “Hoot” Gibson and Earl Lawrence for two executive-level positions that will guide the agency’s approach to safe, timely and efficient integration of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) into U.S. airspace.
Hoot Gibson will become the Senior Advisor on UAS Integration, a position established to focus on external outreach and education, inter-agency initiatives and an enterprise-level approach to FAA management of UAS integration efforts. He will report directly to the FAA Deputy Administrator. Continue reading
Report on RPAS Incidents in The Netherlands
The Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate in The Netherlands has just release a report of incidents involving remotely piloted, unmanned aerial vehicles or unmanned aircraft. Continue reading