There is currently a large gap between crewed and uncrewed aviation. That gap has cultivated a sense of mistrust across technologies and industries, but it’s one that extends to the general public as well. This CUAV Summit will discuss where the industry is today, how the technology will evolve over the next decade to bridge this gap, what regulatory changes will likely be necessary, and what challenges the industry will face related to passenger expectations and public acceptance. Industry stakeholders will talk through and answer these questions:
- what should we be doing as an industry to increase security and trust?
- how we can build a better airspace awareness today?
- why is doing so vital to the future of the airspace as whole?
Opening Address: Is the Public Ready for the Airspace of Tomorrow, Today?
Drones are a key part to sustainable aviation goal and in understanding future airspace but what does it mean for the sUAS community to work with other airspace stakeholders to ensure the sky is open, safe and available to all? What will the skies of tomorrow look like? What are some of the current technologies being utilized to increase safety and autonomy? Other topics that will be touched on to set a primer for the rest of the summit include:
- the security ramifications of this future ecosystem
- the smart city versus connecting cities.
- what is happening in future aviation infrastructure
- what it means to encourage cities to embrace autonomy by introduction of ecosystems to improve their quality of life, which includes integration with EMS, search and rescue, and drone delivery.
- how to encourage cities through mass job creation as OEMs take stake in US manufacturing plants.
Panel Discussion: Can We Cultivate Public Trust in the Airspace Through Airspace Deconfliction?
Through the current implementation of new aviation technology, there is an opportunity to integrate crewed and uncrewed aircraft within the same airspace and even at the same airports. The state of North Dakota is embracing the advancement of UAS technology and what it can offer the aviation industry more broadly. Others are deploying drones in emergency situations that can require navigating a complex airspace where the drone could encounter air traffic from police helicopters, general aviation aircraft, and recreational drones.
What will it mean to change operational realities that currently exist for each? How can the industry move towards more effective and efficient airspace deconfliction methods that keep BVLOS missions safe? And what will be the best way to convey the evolution of certain expectations to the general public? A panel of experts will discuss these issues and the details associated with:
- innovations that are designed to be commercial drone enablers while also ensuring everyone can use the same airspace in a safe manner
- some of the most notable challenges and opportunities that currently exist
- the different approaches DFR programs are implementing to achieve BVLOS today
- what enabling technologies are available
- what regulatory pathways are in place
- how will stakeholders to collaborate on the future of UAS integration
This session will explore in depth the concept of UAM/drone corridors from initial and midterm operations. Panelists will discuss…
- how will UAM corridors benefit the evolution of UAM operations
- why weather forecasting is imperative to the success of corridor usage
- what the concept of Cooperative Operating Practices means for stakeholders
- Initial, Midterm and Mature operating environments
- what the corridor system will look like in the next 12 months
Attendees will get a sense of the most prominent use cases with those currently using and planning for corridor development, defining a way forward for anyone who is or will be working in these ecosystems.
Panel Moderated by Toni Drummond, Titan Aviation.
Speakers include Eileen Lockhart, Spright; Erin Roesler, Northern Plains UAS Test Site; Jon Damush, Iris Automation; Abigail Smith, FAA.
Panel discussion: How Will the Drone Corridors of the Present Define the Future of the Airspace?
As we move forward with distinct urban and regional air mobility models, understanding what it means to safely share the air is imperative. The FAA has laid out a concept of operations for Urban Air Mobility and how it will affect all UAS in the future, but what will it mean to properly set up and enable scale for future flight departments?
This session will explore in depth the concept of UAM/drone corridors from initial and midterm operations. Panelists will discuss…
- how will UAM corridors benefit the evolution of UAM operations
- why weather forecasting is imperative to the success of corridor usage
- what the concept of Cooperative Operating Practices means for stakeholders
- Initial, Midterm and Mature operating environments
- what the corridor system will look like in the next 12 months
Attendees will get a sense of the most prominent use cases with those currently using and planning for corridor development, defining a way forward for anyone who is or will be working in these ecosystems.
Panel moderated by Sarasina Tuchen, USDOT’s Highly Automated Systems Safety Center of Excellence (HASS COE)
Panelists include James Grimsley, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and Frank McIntosh, FAA.
Have questions for the speakers or moderator? Submit your questions and comments for consideration below.
