A decade ago, drones were mostly associated with terrorist strikes in the Middle East. Since then, the proliferation of drone technology has resulted in widespread deployment of unmanned aerial systems for law enforcement, commercial, and personal use. The recent drone crash on the White House lawn has sparked a renewed interest in unmanned aerial systems by governments, commercial users, and hobbyists. Recent events have also put a spotlight onto the Federal Aviation Administration's renewed efforts regulate drones. This talk will review the history and development of laws, rules, and regulations regarding model aircraft, drones, and other unmanned aerial systems. Next, we will survey the legal landscape to understand current efforts by the FAA and other governmental bodies to restrict and regulate drones for personal users while expanding opportunities by governmental users. Finally, we will look at the way forward in an opportunity to evaluate the balance between the rights of drone users and the privacy expectations of citizens. If you're interested in learning more about the laws regarding model aircraft, drones, and other unmanned aerial systems, come check it out!
Michael Schearer ("theprez98") is currently a law student at the University of Maryland. During the day, he is a government contractor who spent nearly nine years in the United States Navy as an EA-6B Prowler Electronic Countermeasures Officer. His military experience includes aerial combat missions over both Afghanistan and Iraq and nine months on the ground doing counter-IED work with the U.S. Army. He is a graduate of Georgetown University's National Security Studies Program and a speaker at ShmooCon, DEFCON, HOPE, and other conferences. Michael is an active member of the unmmanned aerial systems community. He lives in Maryland with his wife and four children.