This blog was originally written as a guest post for Eleven Fifty Academy.

In the age of new technology, in which companies are spawning every day and an abundance of talent can be found in-house at many companies, developers and software engineers often consider doing work on the side – whether it be at a startup or personally starting their own business.  It is critical that these developers are aware of the limitations their employment agreements might place on them and any activities they carry out outside of work.  An individual’s employment agreement can often consist of a variety of contracts and clauses that affect side work, including the following:

As we head into 2016, it is no secret that startup culture is spreading beyond the coasts. Cities throughout the Midwest are claiming qualities that new companies are finding increasingly alluring. Thinking about startup hubs in the Midwest, a few cities come to mind: Chicago, Cincinnati, Kansas City, even Detroit. One city that might not be on many people’s radar is Lafayette, IN – and it should be.

If you missed it, you can find Part 1: FAA Regulations here.

On the TV show Modern Family, a drone spied on a sunbathing Gloria (invasion of privacy), Phil used his “professional aerial photography tool” or drone to find Luke and his friends (trespassing), and Jay crashed his model airplane into Phil while attempting to “thread the needle” (personal injury).  Modern Family comically illustrates some of the many potential legal issues drones present.  Before you or your company invests in a drone, you should consider three legal issues that are likely to be on the legal horizon for drone use:  tort liability, insurance, and products liability. 

Earlier this week, I met with the Greater Lafayette Regional Plan Steering Committee to lead a discussion on the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Greater Lafayette area as part of a series of topic meetings aiding in the strategic plan development process. Our conversation can be broken up into four parts: 1) Why is a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem important? 2) What creates a strong ecosystem? 3) What is the current status of the ecosystem? 4) What strategies should be implemented moving forward?

From expediting online order deliveries to gathering aerial information of farmers' fields with previously unseen economic and technological efficiencies, the drone industry could be the root of the next commercial revolution.  Drones, also called UAVs (Unmanned Aircraft Vehicles), were historically developed for military use, but we will likely see their commercial use increase exponentially as global businesses are expected to invest nearly $90 billion in drone technology in the next ten years.  Even if you or your company is not on the forefront of drone technology development, you should be aware of the implications of using a drone in connection with your business (or even recreationally).