Meet the Team
This new column will provide our readers with an opportunity to "meet the team" by highlighting a different member of our team each month and telling you a bit about their backgrounds and connections to the autonomous systems and advanced mobility space.
Rubén Muño
Partner in Charge of Philadelphia office
Member of intellectual property, autonomous systems and advanced mobility, and technology groups
What led you to a career at the intersection of law and technology?
It was a natural progression. After earning degrees in chemical and mechanical engineering, I joined Ford Motor Company's Scientific Research Laboratory in the early 2000s and spent six years designing and testing advanced powertrains. At the time, Ford owned a stable of brands worldwide called the Premier Automotive Group that included Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo. My work was geared towards those brands. I worked with engineering teams from the United States, Europe and Japan and gained valuable insights into the complexities of designing, developing and ultimately manufacturing a vehicle. In 2004, I left Detroit and moved to Philadelphia for law school and have now been litigating patent and trade secret cases for some of the world's biggest companies for nearly 15 years.
What are some emerging intellectual property (IP) issues in the advanced mobility space?
The IP landscape is changing rapidly in this area. In the automotive sector, for example, we have seen a confluence of technologies, with connectivity quickly emerging as a central pillar. Newcomers have become industry disruptors and traditional players have had to reinvent themselves with an eye towards the future. In terms of IP litigation, for instance, we have seen a high profile case involving trade secret misappropriation of self-driving technology as well as an uptick in worldwide patent litigation related to cellular connectivity. This patent litigation has led to some licensing agreements, but only through 4G. With the advent of 5G, another wave of litigation is likely. Issues related to licensing of standard essential patents (SEPs) under fair, reasonable and nondiscriminatory (FRAND) terms are also likely to play a prominent role. Through this newsletter, we aim to keep our readers informed of these and numerous other developments affecting this industry sector.
UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS (UAS)
Matternet M2 Drone Delivery System First to Achieve FAA Type Certification Matternet, developer of the world's leading urban drone delivery system, today announced that the Matternet M2 drone has achieved Type Certification by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). As the first non-military unmanned aircraft to achieve Type Certification in the United States, this gives Matternet a strong competitive advantage in the drone delivery market. The completion of the four-year rigorous evaluation by the FAA proves the safety and reliability of the M2 aircraft, a key step in scaling U.S. commercial drone operations.
"We are incredibly proud that Matternet M2 has met the very rigorous safety standards of the FAA and is the first drone delivery system to be Type Certified in the United States," said Andreas Raptopoulos, founder and CEO of Matternet. "Drone delivery will revolutionize healthcare and e-commerce in the U.S. We've been at the forefront of this revolution since launching U.S. operations in 2019 — we are now ready for scale."
For the last four years, a select number of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), including the Matternet M2, have been operating under Part 135, the FAA framework for revenue on[1]demand air carrier operations, using an exemption while the systems are evaluated. With a Type Certification, implementing new networks and getting approvals will be a more streamlined and predictable regulatory process. Additionally, air carrier operating licenses such as Part 135 on-demand transportation can only use Type Certified aircraft.
"This is a victory for not only Matternet, but for the whole UAS industry as it indicates a maturing of the industry and a shift away from exemptions and waivers towards more standard regulation," said Jim O'Sullivan, vice president of regulatory strategy for Matternet. "Matternet would like to thank the FAA, as well as our advisors at End State Solutions."
Download >> Autonomous Akin Update - September 2022 (PDF)
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