Back in 2018, the Congress tasked the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) with studying the role that state and local governments should play in the regulation of unmanned aircraft and the lower levels of the National Airspace System.  After nearly two years of work, the GAO has finally issued its report.  The report contains a compilation of the current state of the law regarding privacy, federal preemption, property owners’ rights in the airspace over their land, and related topics, and is supported by a detailed 143-page appendix. … Read More

Looking ahead to the 2021 Aviation Symposium: Accidents, Incidents & Emergency Response in a Pandemic Reality on February 2-4, we want to ensure that we accommodate the experience to the concerns of our attendees. While we’re optimistic that our free-to-attend Symposium in Mclean, Virginia will be a live event that follows necessary safety protocols, we recognize that COVID-19 remains a fluid situation.… Read More

An essential aspect of the aviation industry is doing business with the United States Government.

Whether you’re an airline, a charter or cargo operator, an MRO, a ground handler or a manufacturer, the considerations associated with having the federal government as a client is a world apart from operating in the commercial space.

Join Fox’s Federal Government Contracts attorneys for targeted sessions and networking at our Federal Contracts Symposium.… Read More

These are anxious days for in-house counsel and HR managers for airlines and other aviation entities.  Consumer demand is rising, but Cares Act funding is running out in September, and the COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc.  Although the C Suite will decide which layoffs to continue or make permanent, and who should be brought back or re-hired, it will fall to in-house counsel and HR to minimize the legal risks of these personnel decisions.… Read More

In a long awaited move, the interagency working group responsible for coordinating drone defense policy has issued guidance to the public about what they can and cannot do to combat unauthorized drone use.  The guidance, issued jointly by the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), covers the application of federal criminal laws, aviation safety laws, transportation and airport security laws, and radio frequency and communication spectrum issues to drone defense.… Read More

For those of you who may have missed the live presentation of the latest Aviation Webinar Series, “Emergency Preparation and Response in the Era of COVID-19,” you can view the entire presentation by clicking on the link below.

The webinar recording is available HERE

The slides are available for download HERE

 … Read More

The impact of the pandemic has been felt by all individuals and businesses worldwide, and the aviation industry is no exception.

As airlines, cargo operators, charter and fractional operators have attempted to overcome operational challenges and recover financially, the industry has also adapted to different ways of doing business, including emergency response.

Join Mark Dombroff and Morgan Campbell for a discussion on how the aviation industry has adjusted and a look to the future.

… Read More

A growing number of nations have been successfully, but slowly, pushing both the technological and regulatory boundaries of advanced UAS operations.  These national pilot programs have taken the first steps towards beyond visual line of sight operations, package delivery and flight over people.  However, as Earl Lawrence confirmed at the AUVSI/FAA symposium the other day, the key to turning these complex operations into routine operations is a certificated unmanned aircraft.… Read More

One of the great innovations of the Part 107 regulations for unmanned aircraft was the ability to obtain a waiver from many of its more restrictive requirements.  The Part 107 waiver process allows operators the flexibility to fly at night, fly beyond visual line of sight, or operate more than one drone at the same time.

Unfortunately, most waivers have an expiration date of 48 months. … Read More

While many states are currently “open for business” to one degree or another, COVID-19 has stubbornly refused to release its hold in some areas.  As a result, while progress is being made, we clearly are not “back to normal.”

In light of this, government agencies that relaxed regulatory requirements at the beginning of the crisis, including the FAA, are beginning to extend these accommodations. … Read More