Western US firm joins the move to set up drone teams

Lewis Roca Rothgerber, one of the largest firms in the western US, is setting up a 14-person 'Unmanned Aircraft Systems' team, headed by an air pilot, with expectations of advising on IP, patents for new models, regulations and export controls.

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Denver-based lawyer and qualified pilot Tom Dougherty is heading the group. He has been following issues in the sector since 2008 when the Federal Aviation Authority first began working on rules for the sector. He believes that numbers of users will grow. There are now 244 companies which have obtained exemptions to the current ban on using drones for commercial purposes. Mr Dougherty expects the number to rise. He said: 'I resist using the phrase, the sky is the limit, but it really does apply here. People are coming up with creative applications for this platform and only are limited by imagination.'

Privacy

He also predicts that privacy and liability issues will become more important - and will be another area for his practise to advise on - when the numbers of drones increase. The Federal Aviation Authority plans to introduce rules permitting the commercial use of drones later this year. Source: Denver Business Journal

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