From Aerospace to Automotive: Honeywell Aerospace Targets Automotive Driver-Assistance Systems in Patent Suits Against Lucid and Rivian
Patent portfolios originally developed for aerospace applications may have relevance to adjacent transportation sectors. Companies developing automotive, rail, maritime, or autonomous vehicle systems should consider relevant aerospace patent activity before commercializing products.
How a Patent Dispute Could Shape Design and Utility Patent Protection in the eVTOL Industry
Archer Aviation v. Vertical Aerospace highlights the significance of intellectual property in the eVTOL space. The outcome of the litigation could inform the scope of patent protection for next-generation aircraft and the technologies that enable them.
GSA’s New AI Clause Is Now in Effect: What AI Vendors and Investors Need to Know
Lincoln S. Essig & Lance D. Smemoe
The U.S. General Services Administration’s (GSA) new AI clause gives the government ownership of fine-tuned model weights and other custom developments built from government data under GSA large language model contracts. Vendors can’t use that data to train models for other customers without written authorization, and they must delete what they built from it when the contract ends.
AI vendors should negotiate rights before award, document their Background Data and pre-existing IP, and consider architectures that keep government data out of their model weights. Investors and acquirers should confirm in diligence which models and datasets the company actually owns.
Clearing the Way for Routine Drone Flights: Why the FAA’s Part 108 Rule Raises the Stakes for Patent Strategy
The FAA’s final rule for drone operations beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS), Part 108, has been under White House review since July 10, 2026, and the FAA has said it hopes to publish by the end of the year.
Part 108 would replace case-by-case waivers with a standardized framework, likely accelerating scaled drone delivery, inspection, and agricultural operations.
Because the rule sets common performance requirements, drone companies may converge on similar technical solutions, making early and well-drafted patent filings increasingly valuable.
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