Attorney Jonathan Rupprecht Talks About Drone Aviation Legal Traps

Jonathan Rupprecht is a recognized attorney in the drone niche. He has an extensive background in UAS aviation, and his law firm website is a wealth of information for all drone pilots.

Jon is a trusted source of information, and he spends a lot of time helping to understand issues that impact us all as public safety pilots.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How departments can evaluate the difference between what a salesperson or manufacturer promotes and how to fly within current aviation regulations.
• The limits of flight as a government agency.
• Why public safety agencies seem to fly beyond the regulations without concern or "color outside the lines."
• The landmine's new public safety pilots have never been taught, but they are required to know.
• The federal crimes and flight restricted areas you can fly into by accident.
• Even manned aircraft pilots are not aware of all the regulations they have to comply with.
• How to become the most knowledgeable drone pilot at your agency.
• A Part 107 pilot meets the FAA remote pilot certification, but it is not training to fly under a COA with stricter rules and requirements.
• We do some aviation scared straight.
• How an attorney would easily target your flight operations and stack up the penalties.
• How FAA prosecutors might give you a heavy spanking or a slap on the wrist.
• How your flight operations can string you up with your own flight telemetry.
• Why a consultant can be a source of information to prosecute illegal flight operations.
• Are all drone failures negligent?
• The need for test flying the aircraft after every update of hardware, software, or firmware.
• How a plaintiff attorney will target the pilot or public safety agency if an issue arises. The weak points to target.
• How effective a Remote Pilot Part 107 certificate will be in a flight incident.
• When you can launch quickly or when you have to preflight all flight operations and document it.
• Why it really matters who is drafting your Certificate of Waiver or Authorization or a Part 107 waiver and what is the unauthorized practice of law.
• We talk about the questions agencies should ask before thinking the marketing or salesperson is telling you the truth.
• How drone mapping is creating legal problems for drone pilots.
• If you are flying a modified drone, there are things to check before you take off.
• Why flying all the time lawfully is smart, or do you have to.
• How software that tracks flights for your department can cause more liability, you don't expect.
• Why it is effortless to figure out if you were flying beyond VLOS without even seeing your flight telemetry.

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