FAA Authorizes Drone Flyovers

FAA Authorizes Drone

Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it’s an unmanned aerial vehicle!

The Federal Aviation Administration recently relaxed some rules in this area.

Drones can now fly over people and fly during non-daylight hours. In return, drones must be equipped with better remote identification technology.

One watchdog group described Remote ID as a “digital license plate for drones” which should make them easier to track.

“The new rules make way for the further integration of drones into our airspace by addressing safety and security concerns,” proclaimed FAA Administrator Steve Dickson.

“They get us closer to the day when we will more routinely see drone operations such as the delivery of packages.”

Drone Pros and Cons

According to some estimates, aerial drone delivery is 70 percent cheaper than wheeled vehicle delivery.

Drones avoid traffic and travel further using less fuel.

These last two items also decrease drones’ carbon footprint. Other researchers dispute these savings.

The potential benefits of drone delivery are enough to convince companies to embrace it.

Currently, there are about 20,000 delivery drones in the United States. In five years, there may be one million delivery drones in the skies over America.

Aerial drones can do a lot more than carry television sets.

They can also gather personal information, such as driving or shopping habits, without a person’s consent.

Furthermore, if law enforcement agencies request such data or even if such information is available, the company might be legally required to comply with that demand.

In many communities, drones also have an unsettling effect.

Helicopters are normally associated with police activity. Drones, because of their many additional capabilities, could be considered even worse.

Civil Mediation

There are two sides to the story in a civil damages claim.

To help parties resolve these disputes out of court, many judges refer these matters to mediation.

So, mediation is normally a part of motor vehicle crashes, falls, dog bites, dangerous drug injuries, and other such matters.

Successful mediation does more than hasten the outcome and conserve resources.

Mediation also increases voluntary compliance. Since both sides understand each other better, they are more willing to make compromises.

Civil mediation usually lasts a half day or a full day, but could go on longer.

After a New York personal injury attorney makes a brief opening statement, the two sides retire to separate rooms. Then, the mediator conducts shuttle diplomacy.

S/he conveys settlement offers and counteroffers back and forth between the two sides, until hopefully, they reach an agreement.

Mediation is normally successful, mostly because each side has a duty to negotiate in good faith. In other words, each side must be willing to give some ground in order to reach a settlement.

So, success in mediation usually depends on an attorney standing firm in certain areas and being willing to compromise in other areas.

Most civil disputes settle out of court.

For a free consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney in New York, contact Napoli Shkolnik PLLC. You may have a limited amount of time to act.