Vehicle Tech Law

The robots are here and they fly. Today at Ascend, we announced: • R10 - a breakthrough indoor drone that uses AI and autonomy to get into the most dangerous places so people don’t have to. • F10 - a prototype Robotic Takeoff and Land (RTOL) drone that will unlock long-range, long-endurance, high-speed missions. It will eventually put all the landmass on Earth within reach of an autonomous, Docked drone. Imagine having all of our transportation and energy networks instantly accessible, or being able to get eyes on scene for every emergency, any natural disaster, immediately, anywhere. • Continued evolution of our AI software to make X10 multi-drone native so one operator can command many drones, and the robots work for us rather than the other way around. • Myriad other improvements to our hardware and software to make them more capable, more reliable, and more useful, for more people. This is a special moment as drones transition from being useful tools to critical infrastructure for our most critical industries. It is an immense challenge - and a true joy - to develop this technology and deploy it in service of the most important customers in the world. And we’ve now got a whole Family of Flying Robots to meet the need. I’m so proud of our team at Skydio for pulling off the impossible. You can watch the full keynote in the link below, or just check out these sick highlights of the Cybertruck-mounted robot arm snatching F10 out of the air, R10 flying through <10” gaps with ease, and X10s going off out of Docks like fireworks.

Hartzell’s next-generation prop earns Part 35 type certification. Here’s what it means. bit.ly/3TMqy9r

The FAA and four international partners are collaborating to enable a safe and efficient rollout of Advanced Air Mobility aircraft across the countries. It’s an incredibly exciting time to be in aviation as we work to safely integrate new technologies. We’re committed to doing whatever we can to foster innovation while also staying true to our safety mission. Learn more about the collaboration with our international partners at faa.gov/newsroom/faa-i…

The CEO of aerospace startup Electra on why a hybrid-electric plane could answer travelers’ desire to skip traffic-clogged trips to the airport and bad connections 🔗 on.wsj.com/45YNBow

250,000 rides a week. 10 million total trips. 50 million miles. It’s becoming Waymo’s world—and we’re all just riding in it. on.wsj.com/3ZIZdbn

DJI is skipping the US with its most advanced drone yet theverge.com/tech/665418/dj…

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Boom! We cracked it! Today we are introducing Boomless Cruise—supersonic flights up to 50% faster with no audible sonic boom. We quietly (har har) demo'd this on XB-1's first supersonic flight—three times actually. 🧵👇

The FAA's release of the final Special Federal #Aviation Regulation on powered-lift pilot certification and operation marks a significant milestone in advanced #airmobility #travel. Our latest #AviationLaw Blog examines the regulation's specific requirements for #pilot training, operational standards and certification for powered-lift #aircraft. Read to learn what challenges – and opportunities – this new rule introduces for businesses: bit.ly/3YB2md5

.@FAANews accepts plan from @Delta to use #drones for maintenance inspections news.delta.com/industry-first…

Lawmakers are urging the Commerce Department to crack down on efforts by Chinese companies to circumvent U.S. security bans by facilitating the sale of their products through unusual U.S. licensing agreements — in particular, taking aim at drone maker DJI. wapo.st/3WYF0MJ

Passed by Unanimous Consent: H.R.8289, One-Week FAA Extension.

Passed, 88-4: Passage of Cal. #211, H.R.3935, FAA Reauthorization, as amended. (60-vote affirmative threshold)

That sound you hear is members in House T&I committee roaring that this could get punted — for the fourth time, if you’re counting along like I am

@Holland_Knight is proud to celebrate #WomensHistoryMonth with @Inspire_IAWA ..come join us for a beverage later this month!

Today, @RepGregStanton and @RepBrianMast introduced the AV Accessibility Bill, which will help those who are blind or have other disabilities better access AVs. Through meaningful legislation like today's, more people can benefit from this innovative and safe mobility technology.

Tesla’s fix for its Autopilot driver-assist system has left drivers annoyed and safety advocates disappointed on.wsj.com/3SkSf87 on.wsj.com/3SkSf87

Our military will continue to accelerate force development, capitalize on the latest tech innovations, and make investments in our most valuable strategic resource: our people.

"Our psychology is such that sometimes, something that by the numbers is safer, doesn't feel that way because it involves less control," Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said of automation. "Frankly, the track record of human drivers is murderous." cnb.cx/3QHOiKS