Apple Hires Drone and Aviation Law Expert as Washington Lobbyist

[nikon1]

In the book trilogy The Neanderthal Parallax, everyone has personal drones circling around, quietly out of site, recording everything, and beaming it all to the cloud. It's a kind of near-future story where you don't have to get your phone out to take pictures or record video. It's done for you every second of the day.

“quietly out of site” — certainly not the state of today’s consumer level drones! They are fairly obvious in the noise level and pitch of their propulsion systems and with the current state of battery technology vs. current draw to keep them aloft, battery changing/replacing/charging will prevent this dystopian viewpoint. However, in the future . . . Or what “Big Brother” has and isn’t showing . . .

 

[randyhudson]

DJI's Mavic Pro is a piece of crap. I sent my back to be repaired, and both before and after the camera is unable to maintain a level horizon.

 

[Gasu E.]

I still don’t understand how bribing, I mean lobbying is legal.

Here's how: The purpose of a lobbyist is to provide information (not money) to elected officials to further the interests of the lobbyist's employer.

If there's money changing hands, that would be a bribe, and illegal. But it would be bribery, not lobbying. For an established lobbyist whose business is based on specialized knowledge, such as the one mentioned in this article, that would be a crazy risk to take.

Legitimate, established lobbyists would not be involved in bribery, as it would kill their careers, if caught. However, a lobbyist could, legally, point out that their client has contributed $$$ to the elected official's campaign. That's the legal way to tie big money into politics. If you want to go after the disgrace that is money in politics, better to put your efforts into limiting corporate campaign contributions.

 

[wigby]

Oh it’s illegal alright. Maybe not in your country but in the US you can get yourself quite a lot of trouble just by offering a bribe (especially to a public official).

Even in this day and age, laws matter.
[automerge]1579152478[/automerge]
I'm not speaking of the act which is illegal. I'm only referring to the participants. The briber is never charged with a crime unless the bribee takes the bribe. There is a legal distinction but not so much a moral one.

 

[3460169]

Bureaucrats that have never ever flown a drone are killing the hobby. I fly in and around trees in parks, if a plane is sharing the same airspace as me, it has WAY bigger problems than my 500g drone.

Now you cant fly a 500 g drone within hundreds of metres of people or property. But driving a 3-ton car within meters of pedestrians at a similar speed? No worries mate. 🤡🤡

Yeah pretty much this. There's a lot going on now with proposed FAA regulations for remote ID for UAS. Open for comment:

Remote Identification of Unmanned Aircraft Systems

This action would require the remote identification of unmanned aircraft systems. The remote identification of unmanned aircraft systems in the airspace of the United States would address safety, national security, and law enforcement concerns regarding the further integration of these aircraft...

www.federalregister.gov

I've been building and flying FPV quads for a few years. Was into DJI stuff prior, collects dust now The regulations have strong potential to "kill this [FPV] hobby as we know it".

DJI Strongly supports Drone Remote ID. "But Not Like This".

We Strongly Support Drone Remote ID. But Not Like This.

DJI wants governments to require Remote ID for drones, but the FAA has proposed a complex, expensive, and intrusive system that would make it harder to use drones in America, and that jeopardizes the success of the Remote ID initiative. Instead, we support a simpler, easier, and free version of...

content.dji.com

 

[PickUrPoison]

I'm not speaking of the act which is illegal. I'm only referring to the participants. The briber is never charged with a crime unless the bribee takes the bribe. There is a legal distinction but not so much a moral one.

Not in the US. Don’t try offering a bribe to a police officer if you’re ever in the US and get stopped for speeding. The offer itself is a crime, and the fact the officer doesn’t accept it is not relevant and offers no defense.

Also take a look at 18 USC §201. It is prosecuted, and based only on the offer; it does not require a completed act. However, there are a number of elements to proving the crime, including “corrupt intent”, which can make it difficult to prosecute in practice.

 

[Solomani]

But have they hired an expert in Bird Law? THAT is the question.

Birds will hire lawyers to sue Apple? For what? Wreckless unmanned drone-driving?

 

[name99]

Birds will hire lawyers to sue Apple? For what? Wreckless unmanned drone-driving?

Bird Law | It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia

See more 'It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia' images on Know Your Meme!

knowyourmeme.com

 

[Fukui]

corporations need to keep their hands off our democracy; no more legal bribery