Category Archives: Regulatory Matters

SwissDrones Gets European Drone Operator License in Malta

SwissDrones has obtained its European drone operator license – the EASA Light UAS Operator Certificate (LUC) in accordance with European Regulation (EU) 947/2019, granted by the Transport Malta Civil Aviation Directorate (Transport Malta), the country’s Civil Aviation Authority. This is the first LUC issued by Transport Malta, and the sixth issued in Europe. Continue reading

US Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems National Action Plan

On April 25th., the Biden Administration released the first whole-of-government plan to address UAS threats in the Homeland. Through the Domestic Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems National Action Plan, the Administration is working to expand where we can protect against nefarious UAS activity, who is authorized to take action, and how it can be accomplished lawfully. Continue reading

Justice Department Statement on C-UAS National Action Plan

For almost four years, the Department of Justice has responsibly used the authority Congress granted it in the Preventing Emerging Threats Act of 2018 to protect critical department missions and the public, such as high-profile sporting events like the Super Bowl and the World Series, from the threat posed by unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), commonly referred to as “drones.” Continue reading

Texas District Court Strikes Down State Drone Law on First Amendment Grounds

On March 28, the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas found that a Texas law restricting drone use ran afoul of the First Amendment. The law imposed civil and criminal penalties for drone-based newsgathering, while also prohibiting drone flights over certain critical infrastructure facilities. Continue reading