MDM&C Helps Client Secure FAA Approval for Multiple Commercial Uses of UAS

McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter, LLP (“MDM&C” or “the Firm”), today announced that the Firm has helped to secure an FAA 333 Exemption approval on behalf of its client, Lincoln Park, NJ-based Next Generation Aviation Services, LLC (NGA), for commercial operation of an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), more commonly called Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) or “drones.”

The FAA 333 Exemption will allow NGA to operate UAVs for a number of commercial applications, and is reported to be the first approval of its kind awarded in the metropolitan NYC area. To date, the FAA has granted fewer than three hundred Section 333 Exemptions nationwide.

FAA Approval Granted in Less Than Four Months

NGA filed its petition for FAA 333 exemption to operate UAVs commercially last December. “We worked very closely with the FAA on the applications that were requested and through months of research and hard work by our team, we were able to gain approval in a relatively short amount of time,” said NGA’s owner Frank Galella.

According to Firm Partner Albert J. Pucciarelli, who heads MDM&C’s Aviation and UAV practice group, “We are extremely pleased to have played a role in what we consider to be a historic step; not only for our client, but also for the growth and commercial application of UAVs in our region. NGA’s rapid FAA approval was based, in large measure, on the application’s focus on safety, training and public awareness, which are critical to the adoption of UAVs in the national airspace system.”  Mr. Pucciarelli is an instrument-rated commercial pilot, an FAA certified advanced ground instructor and an aircraft owner. He serves as President of the Mid-Atlantic Pilots Association.

MDM&C’s aviation practice encompasses a full range of transactional, regulatory and litigation matters involving all categories of aircraft. In addition to UAV (drone) related issues, the firm represents all aviation needs, including aircraft ownership and operation, disputes and regulatory matters, and corporate-related issues.