Photo of Amanda Tummons

Amanda Tummons

Subscribe to Amanda Tummons's Posts

Amanda advises local, national and international clients, working with them to find practical solutions to business problems. She has substantial experience negotiating and managing contracts required for the ongoing business operations of the clients with whom she works. Amanda also counsels companies through mergers and acquisitions and in beginning new business ventures, including drafting complex shareholder agreements, buy-sell agreements and operating agreements.

As a member of Husch Blackwell’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) group, Amanda counsels clients on lawful commercial use of UAS and closely monitors the development of the framework for UAS. Her work with manufacturers and operators in the aviation industry that have implemented new technologies gives her insight into the challenges and opportunities that clients might face.

Contact:Read more about Amanda Tummons

Even with the rapid growth of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) or drones, one of the FAA’s primary rules is that the pilot must maintain visual line of sight with the unmanned aircraft at all times. When waivers were granted for “extended line of sight” operations, visual observers on the ground were still required. Those operational constraints are about to change.

Collaborative projects between private industry and the Universities of Alaska-Fairbanks and Hawaii are transforming dreams into reality for the unmanned aircraft community. These technological accomplishments are laying the foundations to provide vital services to rural and outlying communities through long-distance search and rescue, surveying and telecommunications platforms mounted onboard solar powered drones.

While pressure mounts for the FAA to issue regulations to incorporate unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) into national airspace systems and the challenges to the FAA’s current positions on UAS are in judicial limbo [see Commercial Use of Unmanned Aerial Systems? Are they legal? and FAA Faces Recent Challenges Over Restrictions on Operation of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS)] the FAA continues to move forward with the mandates set forth in the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012.