Uncrewed Aircraft Systems & Drone Law Attorneys

Overview

Wiley has been engaged in uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) matters since the outset of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) opening the door to commercial uses. Drawing on its wealth of experience representing clients before regulatory agencies, obtaining necessary authorizations and licenses, and advising clients on regulatory obligations, Wiley has been significantly involved in the evolving legal landscape of UAS, and has worked closely with its clients as the technology and business cases for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) have grown and evolved. Wiley represents clients from the operator, telecom, media, insurance, commerce, aviation, agriculture, higher education, public safety, transportation, and manufacturing sectors.

Wiley’s comprehensive UAS Working Group is well-suited to assist clients on multiple fronts in this unique, complex, and dynamic area. The UAS Working Group includes lawyers, policy advisors, and engineers experienced in aviation issues at the FAA, as well as privacy considerations at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), and Congress, and spectrum needs being examined by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), NTIA, U.S. Department of State, International Telecommunication Union (ITU), International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and industry working groups.

Our representative experience includes:

Working with clients to understand and provide input on new and future FAA rules, including Remote ID, operations over people, beyond visual line-of-sight, and Section 2209 critical infrastructure restrictions;
Understanding the next phases in UAS and AAM deployment, including Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM);
Advising clients on the domestic and international spectrum issues for UAS command and control and payloads for both within visual line-of-sight and beyond visual line-of-sight uses;
Monitoring state and local legislation and regulation and assessing the role federal preemption will play in the deployment of UAS;
Consulting with clients over the impact of supply chain and trade concerns;
Advising clients on counter-UAS measures, including jamming;
Evaluating newsgathering and First Amendment considerations associated with UAS for media clients;
Analyzing insurance and risk management considerations associated with commercial use of UAS;
Meeting with FAA staff to discuss regulatory developments and advocate for clients’ policy needs;
Monitoring privacy developments at the federal, state, and local levels and assisting clients in participating in NTIA’s multistakeholder process on UAS privacy;
Drafting legislative language to promote our clients’ business objectives;
Providing public policy strategic advice regarding potential federal and state UAS legislation;
Tracking and analyzing FAA UAS policies and news;
Advising universities on how they can operate UAS in support of their programs;
Advising insurance clients on using UAS to perform analysis of post-catastrophe situations;
Briefing utility companies on how to avoid risks to human inspectors and obtain authority to use UAS to conduct utility inspections;
Preparing and filing numerous Section 333/4407 Exemption applications for commercial UAS operators in a number of industries including insurance, media, and technology;
Aiding clients in obtaining Certificates of Waiver or Authorization (COAs) to fly UAS;
Advising clients on the FAA’s airworthiness certification processes;
Reviewing Operations Manuals for various UAS and advising manufacturers on how to comply with FAA requirements and policies;
Advising manufacturers on FCC equipment certification requirements; and
Aiding clients in the preparation and filing of FCC experimental license applications for authority to test radio systems for use with UAS.

The firm combines its traditional experience in UAS regulatory issues with a deep understanding of the fundamental policy issues driving industry performance and growth. As innovative technologies force convergence of new concepts and ideas, Wiley is able to provide the services demanded to drive market and regulatory solutions.