Finds French Company Parrot Infringed On Patents Held By The American Firm

A jury has awarded $7.8 million to Drone Technologies in a patent dispute with French UAV manufacturer Parrot, which the U.S. company claimed infringed on two of its patents.

The technology in question allows operators to control the aircraft using smartphones or tablet devices, according to the Legal Intelligencer.

District Judge Arthur J. Schwab of the Western District of Pennsylvania entered a default ruling for Drone Industries last November, citing months-long discover delays and a "systematic campaign to willfully defy" orders from the court on the part of Parrot. He called the actions of the French firm "obstructionist", and said Parrot was disrespectful of the court. Judge Schwab issued the default judgement on the liability issue in an effort to deter other companies from using similar tactics. That left only the issue of damages to be decided by the jury.

The jury of eight people awarded $3.8 million for infringement of two patents from 2012 to 2015, and tacked on $4 million in future damages over the life of the patents. Those will expire in 2028 and 2030.

(Parrot Bebop UAV pictured in file photo)

FMI: www.pawd.uscourts.gov/Pages/schwab.htm