High and Deep: Drones Impact Offshore Energy
Maritime attorney Sean Pribyl was quoted in an Inside Unmanned Systems article about the impact of using drones to inspect, protect and help secure offshore pipelines, turbines and other equipment that generate critical marine-based energy sources. There are many pros to using drones in the offshore energy industry, but the laws and regulations that govern their use have not progressed as rapidly as the technology that propels them. In the article, Mr. Pribyl explains that the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) outlines the primary legal framework for uncrewed underwater vehicles (UUVs).
"UNCLOS sets forth a comprehensive legal framework for the use and protection of the sea, the seabed and subsoil and the marine environment...Lawful use of UUVs, including ROVs, will depend on the location of the operation. This international law divides the maritime domain into clearly defined zones," Mr. Pribyl commented.