FAA Reauthorization Act Passes and FAA Steps Up En-forcement Action Against UAS Operators
Rachel G. McConoughey is Chair of the South Carolina Bar’s Drone Task Force and practices real estate litigation, quiet title actions, drone law, and trademark law at McConoughey Law Firm in Greenville. The past month or so has seen two big new developments having to do with drones: 1) The FAA came out with new enforcement guidance for drone operations that interfere with wildfires, law enforcement, or other emergency response efforts, and 2) Congress passed the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 on October 3, 2018, which has now been sent to the president for his signature. New FAA Enforcement Guidance The FAA's news release, titled “FAA Targets UAS Violators for Enforcement,” states that the FAA has changed its enforcement guidance, even for first time offenders , for drone operators who interfere with wildfire suppression efforts, law enforcement, or emergency response efforts. From the news release: ...