Doing Business in UAS-Related Transactions: What to Include in your Deals and Agreements

Ms. Segal and Messrs. Gallon and Kaufman present a “how to” session exploring one of the most recent areas of practice - that surrounding the commercial use of  Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). Ms. Segal and Messrs. Gallon and Kaufman will look at UAS from a commercial transactional lawyer’s perspective, providing a baseline overview of the legal landscape, and then applying it to the practical implications of doing a deal—whether a purchase, sale, joint venture, merger and acquisition or other form of corporate or commercial transaction.

UAS  technology is at the cutting edge of the intersection of technology, law and business.  Companies around the globe are taking a hard look at their business plans to determine if it is appropriate to invest in UAS technology to tackle practical business problems.  Unlike some more traditional and established technologies, the use of UAS for commercial purposes is based on a developing and uncertain legal foundation, one that must be viewed from a multitude of perspectives: aviation law, communications law, data privacy law, export law, and government security concerns, among others.   The opportunities are significant, but so are the legal challenges.

Ms. Segal and Messrs. Gallon and Kaufman explore the areas requiring particular attention in drafting agreements in this emerging area of regulatory and technology-intensive transactions.  

Learning Objectives:

I.   Gain a foundation of understanding of the multitude of regulatory issues to be considered in any UAS transaction

II.  Understand due diligence considerations in connection with a UAS transaction

III. Analyze the contractual provisions that can make the difference in a successful or unsuccessful UAS deal

IV. Comprehend risk allocation, termination and adjustments for (unknown) changes in law

V.  Grasp financing a startup UAS, including potential financing structures