Nicole J. Highland, Vedder Price attorney, provided legal commentary included in the September 2 Engineering News-Record article "Construction Industry Drones Fly in Rules Vacuum." The article details that despite the lack of federal regulations governing unmanned aerial vehicles, there has been an increased usage of drones in various aspects of infrastructure projects including surveying and construction inspection. Ms. Highland comments that the FAA is currently attempting to regulate the commercial use of drones through an interpretation of its aircraft regulations, but the courts are not allowing drones to be pigeonholed into those regulations. However, she adds that the FAA will eventually come down with clear-cut regulation on drones, which will significantly affect their commercial use. 

To read Ms. Highland's comments, click here. To read the complete article, click here.