2024 will mark the 10th edition of Commercial UAV Expo, demonstrating a passionate and continued commitment to the commercial UAS industry. Since its inception, Commercial UAV Expo has aimed to serve as an essential platform for collaboration and knowledge exchange amid the ongoing growth and evolution of the commercial UAS sector – and this year is set to be its biggest yet.
This year’s conference program has been specifically shaped to give an opportunity for more content focused on the fastest-growing sectors using UAVs: Construction, Energy & Utilities, Infrastructure & Transportation, Surveying, Policy & Regulations, and content geared towards Drone Pilots. These sessions will explore what it means to sort out challenges related to drone adoption while also showcasing where and how drones are creating value today. These content tracks represent three days of dedicated education, providing essential information that enables attendees to take their next steps towards successful integration. Attendees can also expect to hear about broader themes that are applicable to all industries, including the latest in FAA regulation for BVLOS operations, strategies for data management, implementation of Artificial Intelligence, and more. Presenters across the conference program will reveal the current landscape and uncover the opportunities and challenges ahead.
Commercial UAV Expo has two additional co-located events joining the Conference Program this year. The DRONERESPONDERS Public Safety Summit presented by AIRT will feature two days of programming designed to educate and prepare first responders, UAS program managers, and remote pilots at every experience level for public safety UAS operations.
HYSKY Society will host the FLYING HY Conference and the Hydrogen Aviation Course. The world’s largest in-person hydrogen aviation event will feature two days of hydrogen education content. These offerings will bring together all pieces of the hydrogen aviation ecosystem: hydrogen production, hydrogen logistics, hydrogen infrastructure, hydrogen fuel cells, and engines, and, of course, hydrogen aircraft.
The Commercial UAV Exhibit Hall is always home to additional educational sessions, and this year’s Exhibit Hall Theater stage will focus on content showcasing “Drones In Action” and the demand across industries for technological advancements. New to the Exhibit Hall this year is a Drone Pilot Hub, with three days of content created by drone pilots for drone pilots.
With over 225 exhibitors and more than 3,750 attendees expected, Commercial UAV Expo will highlight the innovation and knowledge gained over the past ten years and advance what drones will be capable of in the future. The Exhibit Hall will host an impressive lineup of top commercial UAV solution providers – from hardware manufacturers, software developers, service providers, and more.
Wherever you look, there is content focusing on the current realities and future frontiers of the commercial drone industry. The curated and focused Conference Program will allow attendees to focus on practical, real-world use cases that drive the efficiency, safety, and effectiveness of UAS technology, and leave with actionable information.
Unlock three full days of education conference sessions with a full Conference Pass today!
Carla Lauter Content Manager
CONFERENCE INFORMATION
Commercial UAV Expo gave me quick and plentiful access to compare and contrast different UAV vendors and payload options. The conferences were a great place to listen and interact with industry and subject experts on topics that impact interest in my field.”
- Patrick Walter City of San Diego
CONFERENCE INFORMATION
For the past decade, Commercial UAV Expo has been the place to find commercial drone innovations and strategies that allow operators and organizations of all types to move forward with the technology. This year, the conference program will delve even deeper into the tangible impact of effective drone applications.
The 2024 conference program will focus on practical, real-world use cases that drive efficiency, safety, and effectiveness. The transformative role of UAS technology will be highlighted across the entire program but will particularly emphasize strategies for building successful drone programs in:
CONSTRUCTION
DRONE PILOTS
ENERGY & UTILITIES INFRASTRUCTURE
POLICY
SURVEYING
These industry tracks will outline what it means to sort out challenges related to adoption while also showcasing where and how drones are creating value today. These content tracks represent two days of dedicated education that will provide attendees with essential information that enables them to take their next step with the technology.
Attendees can also expect to hear about cross-industry and broader themes such as FAA regulation for BVLOS operations, data management, AI strategies, battery range, and more as presenters will explore the current landscape and uncover the opportunities and challenges ahead. The conference program will provide valuable insights at all levels – from new learners to experienced professionals.
Wednesday, September 4, 2024 | 9:00 AM PST
The State of the Drone Industry: Will Better Collaboration Unlock the Full Potential of Drones?
The commercial drone industry has seen some positive advancements over the past year and has much to celebrate. Commercial Drone Alliance founders and industry veterans Lisa Ellman and Gretchen West will kick off the Commercial UAV Expo 2024 reviewing the successes over the past year but also highlighting areas where challenges still exist. They will provide an overview of conference content that will help address these challenges and where you can get involved. To unlock the full potential of drones and develop strong market demand, the commercial drone industry needs to take collective action. Lisa and Gretchen will share their insights and provide a call to action to our community to get engaged.
Outlining the Future of the Airspace with the FAA
As the airspace continues to evolve, technology that allows drones to more easily take to the sky is similarly advancing, creating opportunities and challenges when it comes to uniting drones with traditional aviation ecosystems. The FAA is responsible for ensuring safe, efficient and secure air traffic services for approximately 50,000 crewed aircraft operating every day across the National Airspace System (NAS), so how is FAA leadership thinking about this unification? Listen in for a candid conversation with a top FAA official to discuss how they’re approaching the operationalization of the airspace as well as integrating unmanned aircraft systems into the NAS. Attendees will better understand what access to the airspace for drones looks like today, tomorrow and in the future.
Accelerating Commercial
Viability and Market Demand
The commercial drone industry is on its way to having defined and published rules and regulations, and once in place, we will have collectively overcome a major hurdle to scaling drone operations. But what additional challenges need to be addressed to guarantee a path to real economic growth and commercial viability? How do we continue to grow market demand to witness the true scaling of this exciting industry? This panel of industry veterans and experts will offer insights on where firms should focus NOW to create greater market demand, and what considerations should be top of mind to ensure your success. Looking at topics through the different lenses of aviation, technology, and financial capital, panelists will explore where market demand truly is today, ask do we really know what our customers want and how do we make a business case for investment, address supply chain issues, competition, standardization and much more. Our industry must work together to drive solutions to accelerate commercial viability and market demand. The lessons learned from this panel will be sure to start many discussions during the Commercial UAV Expo 2024 and leave you with ideas to share with your fellow industry peers.
Lisa Ellman Commercial Drone Alliance Gretchen West Commercial Drone Alliance
Moderated by:
Lisa Ellman Commercial Drone Alliance
Moderated by:
Gretchen West Commercial Drone Alliance
Featuring:
Eric Brock Ondas Autonomous Systems
Jon Damush uAvionix Corporation
Erik Mintz Mitsubishi Electric
Ken Stewart NUAIR
Featuring:
Tim Arel FAA
THURSDAY KEYNOTE PRESENTATIONS
Thursday, September 5, 2024 | 9:00 AM
Outlining the Future of Drone Regulations with the FAA
What’s now and what’s next with commercial drone regulation is top of mind for operators and organizations across the entire drone industry and the FAA has those answers. How are drones factoring into considerations when it comes to how the FAA is setting, overseeing and enforcing safety standards for all aspects of the aviation industry? How could these changes have a direct impact on domestic and international civil aviation safety? Lisa Ellman from the Commercial Drone Alliance will explore all of these questions and more as part of a candid conversation with Jodi Baker, Deputy Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety of the FAA to help stakeholders move forward with commercial drone operations in the short and long term.
The Secret to Success for Public & Enterprise Drone Programs: Intentional Implementation for Scalable Adoption
The value that drones can unlock for large organizations when it comes to performing tasks in faster, cheaper and safer ways have been well documented, but that understanding often is not enough to translate to adoption. How will adding drones impact established processes? If the number of boots on the ground are reduced, how can those same assets be redeployed in a more effective manner? What does it mean to calculate how a sizable investment in the technology today will make sense tomorrow?
Listen to the answers that Chief Operating Officer of Houston Public Works Randy Macchi and Josh Fredriksson from Pacific Gas & Electric has to all of these questions and more. They’ll explore the approach city services and large enterprises need to take when it comes to rethinking workflows, reskilling the workforce and future-proofing investments in the technology. Attendees will come away from this conversation with the insights they need to develop a strategic plan for their drone program, regardless of the current size or use.
Randy Macchi Houston Public Works
Josh Fredriksson Pacific Gas & Electric
Lisa Ellman Commercial Drone Alliance
Jodi Baker FAA
In addition to two incredible keynote sessions, Commercial UAV Expo 2024 will feature wall-to-wall can’t-miss content through three days in a combined full Conference Program with DRONESRESPONDERS and HYSKY Society
Attendees will have a chance to hear about some of the amazing ways technology is being used today and gain insights from industry thought leaders about where technology is moving in the future. Below are just a handful of the exciting sessions at Commercial UAV Expo.
Navigating Regulation in Infrastructure Projects
Wednesday, September 4, 2024 | 11:00AM – 12:30 PM PDT
This session is dedicated to navigating the complex regulatory landscape surrounding the use of drones in infrastructure projects. From safety considerations to beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations, this session will delve into key concerns and strategies for compliance. Infrastructure and transportation projects are complex, involve extensive planning and organization, and are often time-sensitive and critical. When utilizing drones for infrastructure inspection, planning or construction, following regulations and safety procedures is paramount. Flying drones in urban and built environments, or even in restricted airspace, makes infrastructure work uniquely challenging when it comes to regulatory compliance. Following short presentations, a group of regulatory experts and industry leaders will engage in a panel discussion on the evolving regulatory framework for drones in infrastructure projects. Whether you’re a project manager, drone operator, or regulatory compliance officer, this session offers essential guidance for harnessing the full potential of drones while maintaining safety and compliance in infrastructure projects.
Drone Delivery Update: What Now and What’s Next?
Wednesday, September 4, 2024 | 2:45 PM - 3:30 PM
Speakers:
Listen in as a panel of experts from some of the top drone delivery companies in the world outline what it has meant to enable success for their commercial drone delivery programs as well as the challenges they’ve overcome. What partnerships are defining the future of drone delivery? What rules are needed? How are these companies working toward scaling commercial drone delivery operations? Attendees will hear the answers to these questions while also getting a better sense of the way drone delivery is changing consumer expectations and transforming entire industries.
Case Studies in Energy & Utilities
Wednesday, September 4, 2024 | 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Explore real-world case studies showcasing the effective use of UAVs in energy and utility projects in this insightful session. Industry experts will share their practical experiences and insights, highlighting the tangible benefits and challenges encountered when integrating UAV technology into energy and utilities workflows. Each presenter will deliver a concise but detailed presentation, providing genuine insights into their projects and demonstrating how UAVs have contributed to achieving project objectives. From inspecting assets to optimizing maintenance operations, these case studies offer valuable lessons and inspiration for leveraging UAVs in the energy and utilities sector.
Rachel Carlstrom FAA Matt McCardle Amazon Prime Air
Okeoma Moronu Zipline
Moderated by:
Dawn Zoldi P3 Tech Consulting
Kaitlyn Albertoli Buzz Solutions
It’s Not About the Drone (or the Data), It’s the Decision
Thursday, September 5, 2024 | 11:00 – 11:40 AM
We know the saying: “It’s not about the drone, it’s about the data.” But what happens when that data gets supercharged by Artificial Intelligence (AI)? For many, this development has taken end users beyond the data and into decisions that can be made that much more efficiently and faster. How is AI enabling drone operators to work smarter? What are the real advantages associated with these quicker decisions? Are there even more powerful applications on the horizon? Join a panel of experts to explore how drones, data and decisions are all connected in ways that have changed and will further evolve to define ROI in countless applications across multiple industry segments.
Honing in on Accuracy in Drone-Based Measurements
Thursday, September 5, 2024 | 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
This session will take up the question of accuracy in drone workflows, including what type of accuracy is needed for which type of job, how to identify when accuracy is good enough for particular requirements, and how to get the most out of drone-based sensors by taking advantage of ground control points. Seasoned practitioners in infrastructure and industry professionals will share brief presentations highlighting realworld examples and best practices from previous work, as well as addressing standards for accuracy as laid out by the ASPRS Positional Accuracy Standards for Digital Geospatial Data. Following the presentations, panelists will return to the stage for a moderated discussion and audience Q&A, where they will address accuracy standards, making decisions about the accuracy of their fleet as it scales, and the challenge of demonstrating accuracy to clients.
Katy Milner Hogan Lovells LLP
Keaton Denzer Bechtel
Kara Fragola Skanska USA Civil
Featuring:
Mack Kowalski Lidaholics
Logan Campbell Aerotas
Adam Carp DroneDeploy
Moderated by:
Brandon Hughes Skanska USA Civil
Antoine Tissier Clayco
Featuring:
Ben Stocker Skender
Mike Winn Drone Deploy
Moderated by:
FLYING HY CONFERENCE and HYDROGEN AVIATION COURSE
The FLYING HY Conference presented by the HYSKY Society, is the world’s largest in-person hydrogen aviation event, featuring two days of hydrogen education sessions. The Hydrogen Aviation Course is an all-day course taking place the day before the FLYING HY Conference. These events bring together all pieces of the hydrogen aviation ecosystem: hydrogen production, hydrogen logistics, hydrogen infrastructure, hydrogen fuel cells, and engines, and, of course, hydrogen aircraft.
PUBLIC SAFETY SUMMIT
The DRONERESPONDERS Public Safety Summit presented by AIRT will feature two days of programming designed to educate and prepare first responder UAS program managers and remote pilots at every experience level for public safety UAS operations.
DRONERESPONDERS brings together an incredible group of professionals from around the Americas to explore successful strategies for building and managing public safety UAS programs. You’ll hear actual case studies and explore after-action reviews of how various departments have used unmanned systems to help save lives and protect property.
ADD-ON
PAID COURSES:
Hydrogen Aviation Course ($895)
Photogrammetric Mapping with UAS ($295)
Lidar Mapping with UAS ($295)
Night UAV Flight Workshop (Theory + Field) ($495)
WORKSHOPS:
(Access to the following workshops is included with all conference level passes. Space is limited onsite.)
A Complete, Practical Guide to Transforming UAVs into Real-World Mapping and Surveying Solutions ($149 add-on for all Exhibit Hall Only pass holders.)
Night UAV CSI Demonstration ($25)
Deploying DJI Solutions in Public Safety ($30 add-on for all Exhibit Hall Only pass holders.)
Precision Surveying with DJI Enterprise Solutions ($30 add-on for all Exhibit Hall Only pass holders.)
From Air to Ground: Comprehensive Lidar Mapping Solutions ($95 add-on for all Exhibit Hall Only pass holders.)
From Drone Data to Survey Deliverable by Virtual Surveyor ($10 add-on for all Exhibit Hall Only pass holders.)
OUTDOOR FLYING DEMONSTRATIONS
*Free for all registrants
Seeing drones and software in action before you invest in a system provides much-needed insight into their capabilities. Watch leading vendors demonstrate a range of drone applications, allowing you to see and compare systems in real-world scenarios!
ORGANIZATION & SUPPORT PROVIDED BY:
*Bus transportation provided at additional costs
PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS:
Take a seat in the Exhibit Hall Theater to get hands-on education on various pivotal topics.
In addition to the exciting happenings across the show floor, the Exhibit Hall Theater is the place to go for even more engaging show content. Open to all badge types, the Exhibit Hall Theater features content showcasing the latest products and solutions, interactive discussions with industry leaders, and presentations featuring emerging technologies. From unique case studies to discussions about the future of the industry, there’s something for everyone in the Exhibit Hall Theater programming.
Commercial UAV Expo brings together a wealth of knowledge, experience, and unique insight into the UAV world. Meeting end users and policy makers is what really counts, and it’s certainly there!”
- Prem Pithwa AeroFT Ltd
EATURED PILO T HUB SESSION S
The Pilot Hub at Commercial UAV Expo offers a unique opportunity to tap into the wealth of knowledge and expertise fostered by industry experts. Current and future drone pilots will have dedicated content on the Exhibit Hall Floor.
Now & Beyond 2024: Essentials for Every Drone Pilot
Moderator:
Tuesday, September 3, 2024 | 1:00 PM-3:30 PM
Riches in Niches: How to Build a Successful Drone Business
Wednesday, September 4, 2024 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Drones on a Dime: How to Pick My Drone Training on a Budget
Thursday, September 5, 2024 11:45 AM – 12:15 P M
Amy T. Wiegand Earhart Alden & Associates, LLC
Desiree Ekstein On The Go Video.biz
Jared Janacek Texas Drone Company
Vic Moss Drone Service Providers Alliance
Greg Reverdiau Pilot Institute
Featuring:
Kenji Sugahara Oregon Department of Aviation Featuring:
Tanner Harris Blue Nose Aerial Imaging Featuring:
Dr. William “Will” Austin WarrenUAS (Warren Community College)
SPECIAL EVENTS AND FEATURES
Your Exhibit Hall Pass gives you access to networking and other special events – on and off the show floor.
WELCOME RECEPTION
Kick off Commercial UAV Expo by joining friends and colleagues for the opening of the Exhibit Hall! Check out the latest in UAS solutions, chat with vendors, and make new connections.
NETWORKING HAPPY HOUR
Join us on the show floor at the official Commercial UAV Expo Networking Happy Hour! Grab a beverage and connect with colleagues while exploring the latest commercial UAS solutions and innovations.
UNIVERSITY PAVILION
Much of the innovation in the drone space is taking place at leading research and technical universities – See their cutting-edge projects at the University Pavilion!
PITCH THE PRESS
The Commercial UAV Exhibit Hall floor is filled with the latest products and solutions that can create countless efficiencies for your projects and workflows but what’s the best way to get a sense of what’s truly new and innovative at the event? The “Pitch the Press” session was designed to provide the leading journalists in the industry with a sense of where they can find those answers.
Hosted by:
Hosted by:
Co-hosted by
LEVEL UP LOUNGE
Elevate Your Brand and Marketing Strategy!
This year, Commercial UAV Expo is partnering with Global Air U to co-host the Level Up Lounge, an innovative space dedicated to personal, professional, and brand development. The mission is to empower UAV professionals with the best resources, tools, and insights to take their brands to the next level!
BRAND CONSULTATIONS
Global Air U will provide a comprehensive 15-minute brand audit and consultation for all registrants. Experts will meticulously review and offer actionable advice on:
• LinkedIn Profiles: Tailoring your profile to attract and engage leads within the UAV sector.
• Sales Funnel/System: Streamlining your process to maximize conversion rates.
• Website: Enhancing usability and SEO to ensure your brand stands out.
• Lead Magnet: Developing compelling content that captures interest and nurtures leads.
• One-Pager & Business Cards: Ensuring your printed materials are impactful and memorable.
PROFESSIONAL HEADSHOTS
Update your professional image with a free headshot, perfect for LinkedIn, your website, and business materials.
FACILITATED NETWORKING
Utilize the lounge as a prime spot for relaxation or for setting up meetings with potential connections made through the event’s mobile app; plus, this area will host meet-ups for First-Time Attendees and more!
