The Confluence of People and Technology Enable Drone Operations (12 minutes)
Cambridge Consultants’ Martin Cookson, Director of Digital Service Innovation, will open Commercial UAV Expo with an overview of the industry breakthroughs and commercial successes in the world of UAS in 2023. He’ll detail what it means to connect breakthrough technology with the human dimension for drone programs of all sizes, highlighting how stakeholders can apply and profit from drone applications that measurably improve performance and safety.
Speaker: Martin Cookson, Cambridge Consultants
Can Drones Measurably Improve What You’re Doing Today? (15 minutes)
Dr. Joseph Cione, NOAA’s Lead Meteorologist for Emerging Technologies, will discuss how NOAA's Hurricane Research Division and Aircraft Operations Center have used drones to collect weather observations in incredibly dangerous storm environments. In September of 2022, NOAA used Anduril's Altius 600 to sample the strongest winds ever recorded by a drone. This mission also set a Guinness World Record for the longest survival of a small uncrewed aircraft in Category 5 hurricane conditions. Dr. Cione will discuss how emerging technology has allowed the Agency to effectively gather information that would otherwise be impossible to capture, and how NOAA has used drones to help reduce costs, protect property, and save lives. In addition, Cione will talk about lessons learned and how stakeholders can similarly approach the adoption of drone technology in ways that make sense for an individual project or for an entire organization.
Speaker: Joe Cione, NOAA
An Open Conversation with the FAA
There’s been a great deal of talk over the past few years about what needs to change to enable scaled commercial drone operations. FAA regulation will be a big part of that. How much has already changed to enable this type of growth? What barriers currently exist, and how will regulators and industry need to collaborate to move past these barriers? Listen in to hear real talk around how the federal government and industry can work together to promote U.S. global leadership in advanced aviation.
Panel moderated by Lisa Ellman, Commercial Drone Alliance. Panelists include Jeffrey Vincent and Brandon Roberts, FAA.
