Drones

Drones and UAVs are revolutionising the way we do business across most sectors

They are now in widespread use in maritime and logistics; resources and mining; projects and construction; oil and gas; agriculture; law enforcement; defence; insurance loss assessment; urban transport and delivery, aerial photography, media and more. 

You would be forgiven for thinking that governments, regulators, industry bodies and corporates globally have considered the full spectrum of issues that pivoting into the age of the drones and UAVs (unmanned autonomous vehicles) might require. 

Think again. 

The speed with which the underpinning technology is being developed and the exponential growth in the use and uses of drones and UAVs internationally has been breathtaking and poses challenges potentially not previously considered. Where once this may have been considered a phenomenon in classic ‘aviation’, the fact that drones and UAVs are being used across such a wide array of sectors means that those sectors will often be presenting with their own particular drones and UAVs issues never before contemplated in classic ‘aviation’. For example, drones operating one kilometre underground in mining; on the seabed; in the water column; in the urban environment in close proximity to the populace.

In an effort to address the myriad of issues being raised by drones and UAVs, in 2019, Clyde & Co established a ‘Global Drones Group’ which sits across the many sectors impacted and has a roll-call of partners and senior lawyers across the world who are specialists in their fields, and are turning their attention to the unique issues that drones and UAVs are presenting in their sectors. 

The ‘Global Drones Group’, in association with various corporates active in the drones and UAV space, has published a ground-breaking book “Drone Law and Policy: Global Development, Risks, Regulation and Insurance”. The book outlines the widespread actual and anticipated impacts of drones and UAVs across multiple sectors internationally and examines the current and proposed regulatory framework in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom and Europe.

The authors make recommendations for additional regulatory and insurance initiatives needed to achieve an effective balance between the various competing interests. The 23 chapters are written by global specialists on crucial topics, such as 

• maritime deployment
• terrorism and security
• airport and aircraft safety
• cyber-risks and big data
• regulatory oversight
• licensing
• standards and insurance products

The book is an authoritative reference and expert guidance for regulators and government agencies, legal practitioners, insurance companies and brokers globally, as well as for major organisations utilising drones in industrial applications.

You can purchase your copy here.

For further information please contact Maurice Thompson, founder and Chair of Clyde & Co’s market leading ‘Global Drones Group’.