Hogan Lovells helps New York nonprofit NUAIR receive key flight authorities from FAA to advance reality of economically viable commercial drone operations

Press releases | 01 November 2022

Washington, D.C., 1 November 2022 – Global law firm Hogan Lovells counseled nonprofit Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research Alliance, Inc. (NUAIR) in securing a series of approvals from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the FAA-designated New York UAS Test Site to fly uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS), commonly referred to as “drones”, beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) across 50 continuous miles of airspace within New York’s UAS Corridor.

NUAIR aims to safely integrate UAS into the National Airspace System. This flight authority gives NUAIR and the Test Site the ability to fly civilian drones from Syracuse International Airport to Griffiss International Airport in Rome, NY, without the need of visual observers. Further details, including a short video of the historic 50-mile flight can be found here.

In announcing this new FAA approval, New York Governor Kathy Hochul also announced that the state will be providing NUAIR with an additional US$21 million in funding from the Central New York Rising Upstate Revitalization Initiative, formed to cultivate a world-leading UAS industry hub along the corridor in Central New York and the Mohawk Valley. According to Hochul, the project will allow for critical infrastructure to be tested and deployed to enable advanced industry applications, state agency adoption of UAS, and associated workforce development.

Hogan Lovells partner Lisa Ellman, who leads the firm’s UAS practice, said: “Securing this approval from the FAA represents a crucial investment from the State of New York and the federal government in our client. The FAA’s confidence in NUAIR, paired with New York’s additional funds to cultivate a world-leading UAS industry corridor, are important and encouraging steps towards NUAIR’s ultimate mission to safely integrate commercial drone and advanced air mobility operations which can offer significant life-saving, economic and societal benefits to New Yorkers and the American public more broadly.”

In addition to Ellman, Washington, D.C.-based counsel Patrick Rizzi and senior associate Matthew Clark also advised NUAIR. Hogan Lovells’ UAS team also includes Arjun Garg, Emily Kimball, and Allisa Newman.