This article discusses the legal implications of the spread of
drone technology, current regulatory trends and where we see the
legal environment headed.
The
Cipher Brief: What does the current regulatory environment look
like for drones, and how has it changed?
Sean McGowan & J. Tyler Black: For decades,
recreational and hobby model airplane enthusiasts have used the
national airspace system without major issue. As these aircraft,
onboard technologies, and control software have advanced, new and
sophisticated applications for remote controlled aircraft has
developed, including in the commercial context. This began to
present new dangers to the national airspace system. The FAA
initially sought to forestall widespread use of drones for
"commercial purposes" via a 2007 Notice of Policy on
Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operations in the United States National
Airspace System. In the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012
(2012 Act), Congress laid much of the
