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Cleared for Takeoff: FAA to Allow Commercial Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operations Later this Year

Client Alert | 1 min read | 07.30.13

On July 19, the FAA issued a Restricted Category type certificate to two small, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) that permits aerial surveillance in the Arctic, a significant development that will pave the way for commercial UAS operations later this year (previously discussed here and here). Previous military use of the approved UAS helped facilitate FAA's action, which comes as an encouraging sign for aerospace manufacturers seeking new markets as well as other industries anticipating the emergence of civilian UAS, including agriculture, oil and gas exploration, law enforcement, and security.


Insights

Client Alert | 3 min read | 03.24.26

California Considering A Massive Expansion of Its Antitrust Laws

Legislative efforts to significantly expand California’s antitrust laws are working their way through the state legislature. The most comprehensive overhaul is Assembly Bill 1776 — the Competition and Opportunity in Markets for a Prosperous, Equitable and Transparent Economy (COMPETE) Act, introduced by Assembly Majority Leader Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, on March 23, 2026. AB 1776 is modeled closely after draft legislation recommended by the California Law Revision Commission (CLRC) in December. AB 1776 would not only significantly expand potential liability for single-firm conduct and monopolization but would also explicitly decouple California antitrust analysis from certain federal standards. Companies doing business in California should pay close attention to AB 1776 because of its potentially dramatic impact, including increased exposure to antitrust litigation and increased compliance costs....