On Friday, April 21, 2023, a Waco, Texas jury delivered a $278.9 million award to Coherent Economics’ client Textron Innovations, Inc. in Textron Innovations Inc. v. SZ DJI Technology Co. Ltd. et al., a patent infringement dispute in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas.

Textron Innovations Inc., a subsidiary of U.S. civilian and military fixed-wing and rotary aircraft manufacturer Textron, Inc., alleged infringement by Chinese drone manufacturer DJI of two Textron patents relating to automated control systems for maintaining flight paths relative to reference points and objects. Coherent Economics Senior Managing Director Jeff Andrien, an expert in intellectual property, valuation, and commercial damages, testified successfully at trial on damages suffered by Textron Inc. as a result of DJI’s infringement.

Textron Innovations, Inc. was capably represented by Kevin Meek of McDermott Will & Emery, Michael Hawes, Morgan G. Mayne, Kurt Pankratz, Harrison Rich, Mark A. Speegle, Emily M. Felvey, Lance J. Goodman, Arya Moshiri, and Boyang Zhang of Baker Botts LLP, Mark D. Siegmund and Melissa S. Ruiz of Cherry Johnson Siegmund James PLLC, and Gregory P. Love of Steckler Wayne Cherry & Love PLLC. Jeff Andrien was supported by a team at Coherent Economics including Prateek Shah, Ian Day, Dr. Anastasia Shcherbakova, Kiri Boung, Kayla McCarthy, Anton Sell, and others.