Experience

Aerospace, Aviation, and Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS)

About

Aerospace, Aviation, and Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) is part of our work in Transportation and Logistics.

The face of flight is changing, and innovation is the force driving that change

As companies work to develop more efficient passenger aircraft, provide alternatives to conventional spaceflight via the private sector, and expand the adoption of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) or drones, the need to protect these innovations has never been greater. With aviation and space technologies integrated as irreplaceable elements of everyday life, waves of extraordinary developments are expected to continue into the near future. Navigating these developments requires a deep understanding of the many complex technologies that enable the advancements. Finnegan stands ready and capable of protecting these valuable assets powering industries dedicated to flight.

Understanding the law, science, and technology

While any attorney can simply know the law, strong intellectual property representation requires attorneys who are intimately familiar with, and genuinely interested in the technology. At Finnegan, we pride ourselves on having attorneys with degrees in aerospace engineering and years of experience in the industry, having worked for NASA, various branches of the military, and a number of leading aviation-related private companies. Our first-hand experience includes propulsion systems, airfoils and surfaces, avionics, maintenance technologies, tracking and communication systems, and flight-planning systems and software. And our background is not limited to a single family of aircraft: we have worked with clients to provide IP strategies in the aircraft, airship, rotorcraft, UAV, and spacecraft contexts. Our deep bench includes professionals with degrees, including doctorates, in related disciplines such as:

Aerospace Engineering
Chemical Engineering
Computer Science
Electrical Engineering
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Information Science and Systems
Materials Science and Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Operations Research
Physical Chemistry
Physics

We help with:

Asserting IP rights to protect innovators from infringers
Defending against infringement suits
Licensing within the industry
Obtaining patents for new technologies
Strategically building and managing patent portfolios
Conducting due diligence
Counseling on IP management and monetization strategies
Providing trademark services and advertising protection

Everyone in this industry

Experience

Finnegan assists Archer Aviation, a leading urban air mobility company responsible for designing, developing, manufacturing, and operating electric vertical takeoff and landing aircrafts to carry passengers, with matters related to patent application drafting and global prosecution. We also provide patent counseling services.

Represented B/E Aerospace in pursuing infringement claims against Safran and defending multiple post-grant challenges by Safran at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, for design of aircraft monuments. Secured favorable settlement of all claims.

2:19-cv-01480, C.D. Cal., Judge Wu

Represented B/E Aerospace in an inter partes review (IPR) proceeding relating to aircraft lavatories.

IPR2022-00749, PTAB, Judges Daniels, DeFranco, Marschall

Represented intervenors-cross-appellants DJI in Federal Circuit appeal and cross-appeal from ITC Investigation No. 337-TA-1133 regarding unmanned aerial vehicles.

21-1082, -1363, Fed. Cir.

Successfully represented DJI in a patent litigation involving drone technology and succeeded in getting the entirety of plaintiff’s damages expert’s report excluded under Daubert on the eve of trial, driving a favorable resolution.

6:20-cv-00073, W.D. Tex., Judge Albright

Successfully represented DJI in a patent litigation involving drone technology. Exposed serious flaws in plaintiff’s infringement allegations, driving a voluntary dismissal and a complete walk away for DJI.

2:19-cv-09705, C.D. Cal., Judge Gutierrez