While by law, any aircraft operation in the national airspace requires a certificated and registered aircraft, a licensed pilot, and operational approval, § 33 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, permits the FAA to allow waivers for commercial drone use. On August 20, 2015 the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced that
Drone Privacy
Royal Navy Warship launches 3D Drone
By Linn Foster Freedman on
Posted in Drone Privacy
University of Southampton engineers recently launched a 3D-printed unmanned aerial vehicle from a Royal Navy warship to show the potential use of lightweight drones during sea missions.
The 3D drone weighed 3kg and had a wing-span of 1.5 meters. It was created on a 3D printer in four parts and was assembled without the use…
First meeting of drone privacy stakeholders; will it result in any privacy guidelines?
By Kathryn Rattigan on
Posted in Drone Privacy, Drones
In a previous post, we discussed the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) proposed drone regulations, and now, on August 3, 2015, the first drone privacy stakeholder meeting ensued in Washington, D.C., led by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). NTIA director, John Verdi, told media that the goal of this first meeting was to…
Mountain High Aviation receives approval from FAA to fly wildlife monitoring drones
By Kathryn Rattigan on
Posted in Drone Privacy
On May 28, 2015, Mountain High Aviation LLC (MHA) received the okay from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to fly its drones in U.S. airspace under the FAA Modernization and Reform Act. MHA is a wildlife monitoring service based in Oregon that applied for an exemption under the FAA framework to use four drones to…
DOJ releases guidelines on drone operation by federal law enforcement
By Kathryn Rattigan on
Posted in Drone Privacy
Last week, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) published guidelines for the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or, as more commonly called, drones, by federal law enforcement. Currently, the FBI is the only agency using drones, but in light of the recent rise in drone use for kidnapping investigations, search and rescue operations, drug…
Florida drone bill passed into law, more concerns raised about its restrictions
By Kathryn Rattigan on
Posted in Drone Privacy
At the end of April, we posted on the passing of S.B. 766 through the Florida State legislature, and now on May 14, 2015, Governor Rick Scott signed into law the Freedom from Unwarranted Surveillance Act, in the State of Florida. However, with the passing of this law, it could result in an increase…
Maryland Governor signs drone regulation bill into law
By Kathryn Rattigan on
Posted in Drone Privacy
On May 13, 2015, Maryland Governor, Larry Hogan, signed the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Research, Development, Regulation and Privacy Act of 2015 into law. This new Maryland state drone Act gives the state government the exclusive power to regulate drone usage, and preempts municipalities and counties from supplying their own ordinances. The Act also requires…
Commercial UAS Modernization Act introduced to the Senate; we can’t wait for the FAA
By Kathryn Rattigan on
Posted in Drone Privacy
On May 12, 2015, the Commercial UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems –i.e. drones) Modernization Act was introduced to the Senate Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety and Security, which sets forth interim drone operating rules while the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) finalizes permanent regulations. Senator Cory Booker and Senator John Hoeven presented this bill to prevent the…
Florida Passes Drone Surveillance Bill To Protect Personal Privacy
By Kathryn Rattigan on
Posted in Drone Privacy
On April 28, 2015, the Florida State Legislature passed SB 766, or better known as the Freedom from Unwarranted Surveillance Act, which permits commercial drone use, but bans the use of drones for the surveillance of private individuals without their prior consent.
Specifically, the bill states that “a person, a state agency or a…
Over 4,400 comments on FAA’s proposed drone framework; Amazon wants less restrictions and more room for technological advancement
By Kathryn Rattigan on
Posted in Drone Privacy
The comments period closed on April 24, 2015, for the Federal Aviation Administration’s proposed drone framework and regulations, and there were over 4,400 comments submitted. Among those opposed to the limited scope of the proposed drone framework, Amazon.com Inc. (Amazon) said that the regulations were “overly prescriptive” and that the FAA should take a performance-based…