Autonomous and uncrewed vehicle systems are revolutionizing modern life and commerce. As capabilities expand, these systems promise to deliver significant environmental and cost benefits, while also presenting novel regulatory and legal risks for designers and manufacturers.
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Publications
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12.31.2020FAA Issues Much-Anticipated Drone RulesUpdatesThe holidays came a bit late this year for stakeholders in the uncrewed aircraft industry when, on December 28, 2020, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released its long-awaited rules on Remote ID, operations over people and moving vehicles, and night operations.
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04.03.2020How Are the World’s Most Disruptive Technologies Faring in the Fight Against the World’s Most Disruptive Virus?UpdatesWith the current coronavirus outbreak causing unprecedented social and economic upheaval and suffering, we take a look at the leading disruptive IT-related technologies to see what impact— positive, negative, or none at all—these technologies are having in our efforts to combat the effects of the coronavirus and what role these technologies could play in identifying and mitigating future pandemics.
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02.03.2020Four Weeks Remain to Comment on Unmanned Aircraft Systems RulesUpdatesThe Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) jointly published a December 31, 2019, notice of proposed rulemaking for the remote identification (remote ID) of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).
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02.14.2019FAA Updates Small UAS RulesUpdatesThe FAA published proposed rules on the Operation of Small Unmanned Aircraft Over People on February 13, 2019.
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10.16.2018USDOT Issues Updated Policy on Automated Vehicles, Signaling Rulemakings to ComeUpdatesThe United States Department of Transportation recently released its latest policy statement on automated vehicle technologies, Automated Driving Systems 3.0: Preparing for the Future of Transportation.
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10.04.2018Congress Passes FAA Reauthorization Bill That Opens Door for Significant Changes to UAS RegulationsUpdatesOn October 3, 2018, the Senate passed a bipartisan bill that will reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for five years. The bill, which is referred to as the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (H.R. 302), was previously passed by the House of Representatives.
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01.23.2018USDOT Seeks Comment on Removing Regulatory Barriers to Autonomous VehiclesUpdatesLast week, three U.S. Department of Transportation agencies issued requests for comment on ways to update federal regulations and policies to allow for the safe testing and deployment of autonomous vehicles.
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01.17.2018Washington Could Lead on Autonomous Maritime TechnologiesArticlesAs Washington thinks about its maritime future, it should think critically about how new technologies will change the industry.
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11.10.2017FAA Details Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration Pilot ProgramUpdatesThe FAA published a notice on the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration Pilot Program this week. The program, initiated by a Presidential Memorandum, is designed to accelerate safe UAS integration through public-private sector partnerships.
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09.26.2017Automated Vehicles: Do New Act and Policy Clarify the Regulatory Future?UpdatesThe Trump administration took its first major step to facilitate the deployment of automated vehicles with the Department of Transportation’s release of “Automated Driving Systems 2.0: A Vision for Safety,” an update to the 2016 Federal Automated Vehicle Policy.
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07.20.2017House Panel Approves Groundbreaking Federal Autonomous Vehicle Legislation DraftUpdatesThe House Subcommittee on Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection reached bipartisan agreement on July 19, 2017, regarding major aspects of legislation to address the testing and deployment of autonomous vehicles.
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06.19.2017Senators Announce Principles for Bipartisan Legislation on Self-Driving VehiclesUpdatesThe U.S. Congress has started to explore potential legislation governing the testing and regulation of autonomous vehicles.
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10.04.2017
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10.2016Overview of NHTSA’s Federal Automated Vehicles PolicyLawyer PublicationsThe National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued a comprehensive policy on “automated vehicles,” commonly known as self-driving cars. The automated vehicle policy (AV Policy), issued on September 20, 2016, represents a significant step in the development of a federal regulatory framework to guide the development of automated vehicle technologies.
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10.03.2016DOT Shifts Into Gear on Self-Driving Cars and Issues New Automated Vehicles PolicyUpdatesThe National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued a comprehensive policy on “automated vehicles,” more commonly known as self-driving cars.
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06.23.2016FAA’s New Rules for Small Unmanned AircraftUpdates
Since the Federal Aviation Administration issued its proposed rules for small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in February of 2015, the industry has been eagerly waiting to learn what the final rules will be. On Tuesday, June 21, 2016, that wait ended as the FAA announced its final rules for small UAS. Here is the FAA's summary of the final rules and here is the complete text of the rules.
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05.23.2016New Privacy Best Practices for Drone Use Adopted by Industry, Consumer and Media OrganizationsUpdatesConsensus was reached in a proceeding of the NTIA of the U.S. Department of Commerce on a set of privacy best practices for the commercial and recreational use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS), more commonly referred to as “drones.”
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03.01.2016Regulatory Innovation: An Underexplored Mine of IPArticles
Intellectual Property Magazine
Regulatory uncertainty over issues such as safety can sometimes lead to patentable innovation – drones are a case in point.
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10.01.2015Business Loss Insurance Coverage for Port Explosions in ChinaUpdatesMassive explosions occurred at a warehouse in Tianjin, China, in August 2015, that left hundreds of people dead or injured and destroyed much of the city’s port facilities. Tianjin is located in the industrial north of China and is a critical transit point for many global industries, including electronics, automotive, aerospace, petrochemicals and manufacturing equipment.
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06.18.2015Dawn of the Drones—A New Era of Insurance Coverage IssuesUpdatesDrones, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), promise to revolutionize not just commerce but the insurance markets as well. In 2014, the European Commission estimated that, within 10 years, UAVs will represent 10% of the global civil aviation fleet.
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02.17.2015FAA Proposes Rules for Commercial UAVs; White House Launches UAV Privacy InitiativeUpdatesOn February 15, 2015, the FAA issued its long-awaited notice of proposed rulemaking on small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Currently, federal law prohibits commercial use of UAVs without advance approval, typically through the so-called Section 333 approval process.
Presentations
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05.09.2023On the Horizon: Emerging Technical and Legal Cybersecurity Issues for Autonomous SystemsSpeaking EngagementsEnterprise and Government Solutions
Xpotential / Denver, CO -
05.08.2023 - 05.10.2023
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01.31.2023Planes, Trains and Automobiles II: Spectrum Needs and Solutions for Drones and Connected and Autonomous VehiclesSpeaking EngagementsPanelist
Federal Communications Bar Association Florida Chapter / Virtual -
06.18.2020Business Essentials - IP and TrademarkSpeaking EngagementsSponsorship
Silicon Valley Chapter of AUVSI | Webinar -
Uncrewed Vehicle Systems Event CalendarSpeaking EngagementsJoin Perkins Coie at one of the unmanned vehicle conferences we’ll be attending!
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12.04.2019Seeing 2020: Outlook for the Unmanned IndustrySpeaking Engagements
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10.15.2019Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) Product Liability WorkshopSpeaking EngagementsAUVSI Silicon Valley Chapter / Palo Alto, CA
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03.01.20162016 International Risk Management Institute (IRMI) Energy Risk & Insurance ConferenceSpeaking EngagementsHouston, TXDan Ridlon co-presented on a panel with Lorelie Masters titled “Dawn of the Drones: Regulatory and Risk Management in Using Unmanned Vehicle Systems.”
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02.04.2016Drone Law ConferenceSpeaking EngagementsSeattle, WAProduct Liability partner Brendan Murphy is chairing the conference. Brendan also co-presented with Product Liability Counsel, Dan Ridlon on “Risk Management Issues for Manufacturers and Operators.” In addition, Insurance Recovery Partner, Lorie Masters participated on a panel titled “Insurance Issues with UAVs.”
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12.14.2015 – 12.16.2015UVS Institute ConferenceUVS Institute ConferenceBrendan Murphy participated on the panel "Unmanned Systems Industry Outlook: Trends and Growth.”
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11.17.2015 - 11.18.2015
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10.21.20152015 SRA International Annual MeetingSpeaking EngagementsLas Vegas, NVDan Ridlon participated on a panel titled “Unmanned Vehicle Systems: Is the Sky the Limit? Regulatory and Risk Management in Using Drones.”
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2014Presented to UAV Industry Group on FAA Commercial-use Approval Process
AUVSI Cascade Chapter – Fall Forum
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2014Addressed French aerospace audience on unmanned aerial vehicles, witness preparation, and juror decision-making in U.S. courts
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2014Presented to high-tech company’s legal team on unmanned aerial vehicles and liability risks with automation
