AUVSI's Unmanned Systems 2016

Dean Griffith
Of Counsel
Jones Day


Dean Griffith counsels clients on aviation regulatory matters, drawing on his nearly 10-year career at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Dean's experience ranges from traditional aircraft regulation to unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), or drone, law and policy. He advises domestic and international clients on FAA safety and certification requirements, aircraft registration standards, use of corporate aircraft, airspace obstruction evaluation requirements, as well as international aviation regulations. He also assists clients with UAS regulatory compliance and operational approvals, corporate UAS policies, and review of proposed legislation and regulations. As a regulatory lawyer in the FAA's Office of the Chief Counsel, Dean drafted safety regulations and was responsible for seeing them through the notice and comment process, including Office of Management and Budget Review. He also prepared legal interpretations and regulatory exemptions addressing air carriers, corporate aviation, helicopter air ambulance operations, and other commercial aviation matters. Dean has deep experience and knowledge of unmanned aircraft systems law and policy. As the Chief Counsel's UAS regulatory policy team lead, he counseled agency decision makers on rulemaking, exemptions, and policy development related to unmanned aircraft. Dean advised on the creation of the "Section 333" exemption process, the UAS Pathfinder Program, and on the scope of the agency's jurisdiction to regulate drones. Additionally, Dean served as senior advisor and acting deputy assistant administrator in the FAA's Office of Government and Industry Affairs, advising on matters concerning Congress, aviation industry groups, and other governmental organizations. Dean is co-chair of the American Bar Association's Drone Law Committee.

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