On Monday, August 17, 2020, the Department of Justice, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Federal Communications Commission released a joint advisory on the acquisition and use of counter-drone equipment by non-federal public and private entities. In the Advisory, the agencies highlight federal criminal laws and other federal statutes and […]
We amateur drone pilots are well schooled in the dangers. We don’t fly close to airports, near power lines, or anywhere in the no-drone-zone that stretches across the entirety of the Washington D.C. region (including, sadly, our own CommLawBlog rooftop deck, which would otherwise be a great place to fly). But we don’t worry much...… Continue Reading
FAA Violated Clear Language of the Law The United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit last week, in Taylor v. Huerta, determined that the FAA’s registration rule cannot apply to small unmanned aircraft (aka, sUAVs, or drones) operated for recreational purposes. Drones operated for recreational purposes, which FAA terms “model aircraft”, are defined...… Continue Reading
“Broadcasters and Drones – Staying Street-Legal in the Sky” This is a reminder that FHH drone mavens Laura Stefani and Jon Markman will be presenting a webinar on the current state of FAA regulation of drones – or, as the FAA prefers to call them, “unmanned aircraft systems”, or “UASs”. The webinar will be available … Continue Reading
[Blogmeister’s Note: While our colleague, Kevin Goldberg, may have some reservations about the utility of drones under the present state of FAA regulation, the fact remains that many broadcasters and other newsgatherers are still eager to take advantage of the opportunities drones currently provide. Anyone wishing to do so should take care to understand what … Continue Reading
But legislation currently in the works could improve prospects considerably. It seems like everybody’s been talking about drones and the myriad ways that they will make our lives better. Even we here in the CommLawBlog bunker have devoted considerable attention to the topic (although we’re trying to get our readers used to the proper terminology: … Continue Reading
Online sign-ups start December 21 for hobbyists, March 31 for non-recreational drones As the final day of Hanukkah arrived and Santa’s Christmas Eve trek loomed just ten days ahead, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) complicated the lives of those of us who have given, or plan to give, their nearest and dearest this year’s Hot … Continue Reading
The FAA’s efforts to get its arms around the massive proliferation of drones – which are technically referred to as “unmanned aircraft systems”, or “UAS”, in FAA parlance – continue. Those who have been following the situation know that Congress had given the FAA a September 30, 2015 deadline by which to develop and implement … Continue Reading
If you want to use your drone for your business, you’ll need to know what to ask for and how to ask for it. Let’s be honest: you want a drone, just like the rest of us. (True fact: We here in the CommLawBlog bunker have frequently fantasized about flying our own – appropriately branded … Continue Reading