Drone Law Seminar

Drone Law Seminar

Drone Law Seminar

The State Bar of Michigan Solo & Small Firm Section and Aviation Law Section will co-host a seminar on Michigan Drone Law from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday June 9 in Room 347 at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, located at 651 E. Jefferson Ave. in Detroit.

Federal Aviation Administration officials have predicted that 2.5 million drones will be in use in the United States by the end of this year. By 2020, that number is expected to rise to 7 million. Drone technology has the potential to impact many industries. Aside from aviation law, drones raise legal issues in these areas of law: personal injury, property damage, real estate and privacy. Lawyers are tasked with advising drone owners of their liability if somethings goes wrong, as well as the rules by which they can legally operate. Criminal defense attorneys may be impacted as well, as the Michigan legislature is currently advancing a bill to set misdemeanor penalties for misuse of drones.

The seminar will feature two speakers: David R. Baxter and Harry C. Arnold. David Baxter is of counsel to Gallagher Sharp LLP in Detroit. His practice has focused on aviation industry law. He has represented aircraft owners, airports and pilots in personal injury, wrongful death, property damage, product liability, premises liability, cargo and regulatory litigation. He has appeared before regulatory agencies, including the National Transportation Safety Board, written articles, given presentations to bar associations and presented testimony about unmanned aerial vehicles to the Michigan House of Representatives Committee on Criminal Justice. Harry Arnold is an organizer of Detroit Drone, the leading aerial photography and videography service in Michigan. He has a 40-year-long background in photography and videography and more than 25 years in computer programming and editing. His drones have been hired for commercial and firefighting purposes.

For more information about the seminar, visit connect.michbar.org/solo/home or contact Elizabeth Silverman at elizabeth@elizabethsilverman.com.