Location: Champions Club - 3rd Base

As uncrewed and automated flight systems evolve from research to reality, coordination between industry innovators and the FAA is more important than ever. This fireside chat brings together Robert Rose, CEO of Reliable Robotics, and Paul Fontaine, Assistant Administrator for NextGen, to explore the technologies and policy frameworks shaping the future of integrated airspace operations.

The discussion will examine the building blocks of scalable automation, including digital flight rules, vehicle-to-vehicle connectivity, and aviation-grade communications infrastructure, and how these elements are being aligned through standards, policy, and collaboration. With insights from both the regulatory and commercial sides, the conversation will highlight how advanced aviation systems can enhance safety, reduce workload, and expand access - provided that regulatory and infrastructure foundations are built in step with innovation.

Speakers

Robert Rose

CEO

Reliable Robotics

Location: Champions Club - 3rd Base

Unleashing American Drone Dominance Executive Order by President Trump directs the acceleration of UAS and AAM technology development and enables the expansion of “Beyond Visual Line of Sight” drone operations as well as the full implementation and use of Remote Identification and information sharing with federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial governments as needed for security purposes. For more than a decade, efforts by the FAA, NASA, Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, and industry have been focused on the development of tools that will enable the safe and secure integration of drones in the National Airspace System to enable commercial and public safety missions. This session will talk about standards-based Airspace Management Tools (UTM) and Trustworthy Multi-purpose Remote ID (TM-RID) operational capabilities that are enabling numerous public and private applications. The session will also highlight Upstate Medical University’s drone team’s use of these tools to enable their BVLOS operations to transport medical materials safely, securely, and timely throughout New York State and Canada.

Location: Champions Club - 1st Base

Policy advisors from Capitol Hill offer a behind-the-scenes look at the legislative priorities and considerations shaping advanced aviation.

Location: Champions Club - 1st Base

The rapid advancement of UAS technologies, especially for BVLOS operations, requires a coordinated and forward-looking standards framework. With the FAA’s long-awaited Part 108 NPRM expected to be released, now is the critical moment to ensure that the industry is aligned in developing robust, scalable, and risk-informed standards.

ASTM International has led the charge by crafting a Standards Development Strategy that anticipates the regulatory structure to be outlined in Part 108. This panel will present the latest progress on this strategy, highlight key milestones achieved, and outline remaining challenges and opportunities. Importantly, it will also serve as a platform to engage new contributors - industry experts, solution providers, and stakeholders - to actively participate in building the standards ecosystem needed to support BVLOS at scale.

Speakers

Philip Kenul - Moderator

Vice-Chair, F38 Committee on UAS

ASTM International

Benjamin Berlin

Aviation Regulatory Counsel

Zipline International

Mark Blanks

Head of Global Flight Operations, Standards, & Regulatory

Wing

Jenn Player

VP, Global Aviation Regulatory Affairs

Skydio

Location: Conference Room - Kennedy/Roosevelt

As uncrewed and autonomous aircraft scale across commercial, defense, and public service applications, maintaining real-time, cooperative awareness in shared airspace is becoming essential. This session explores how 3GPP cellular standards and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication protocols are enabling the foundation for safe, scalable, and automated aviation.

Panelists will discuss how emerging standards support direct and network-assisted broadcasting of aircraft position, intent, and telemetry data, enhancing visibility, deconfliction, integration, and safety with traditional airspace users. With perspectives from telecommunications, aviation, and government, the session will explore how these technologies intersect with UTM, Detect-and-Avoid (DAA) systems, and regulatory frameworks for low- and high-altitude operations. Attendees will gain insights into how V2V connectivity and 3GPP-enabled architectures can drive a more connected, secure, and cooperative airspace.

Speakers

Joe Darden

Director, Aviation Business Development

Iridium Communications

Melissa Tye

Associate General Counsel

Verizon

Drew Van Duren

Director, Technical Standards

Qualcomm

Location: Champions Club - 3rd Base

With the release of new Executive Orders focused on restoring U.S. airspace sovereignty and securing drone supply chains, the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is moving to clarify and strengthen rules around foreign-origin unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). In this fireside chat, the Office of Information and Communications Technology and Services (OICTS) will draw on lessons from past rulemakings, such as those governing passenger CVs (connected vehicles), to preview what the UAS industry might expect from the forthcoming UAS-specific rule.

Through a moderated dialogue, the session will explore critical elements under consideration in the BIS ANPRM, including covered software and firmware, integration prohibitions, foreign ownership/control/influence (FOCI) restrictions, and compliance frameworks. Attendees will gain insight into how BIS is approaching UAS risk assessment, what future regulatory structures could look like, and how industry can engage effectively during the rulemaking process.

Speakers

Elizabeth Cannon

Executive Director, OICTS

DoC

Michael Robbins

CEO

AUVSI

Location: Champions Club - 1st Base

During this insightful conversation, NASA aeronautics’ leaders will highlight how the agency is working with industry, other government entities, and community partners on AAM integration. Hear about the continued challenges and opportunities ahead, from automation and safety, to infrastructure and public trust, and discover how NASA’s research is helping to push the industry forward with the development of new technologies.

Speakers

Parimal Kopardekar

Mission Integration Manager, Advanced Air Mobility

NASA

Akbar Sultan

Director, Airspace Operations and Safety Program

NASA

Location: Champions Club - 3rd Base

As U.S. reliance on foreign-manufactured drones raises growing national security and supply chain concerns, federal agencies are actively exploring policy tools to strengthen domestic UAS production. This panel brings together leaders from the Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration (ITA), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the Department of Defense (DoD) to examine the strategic and regulatory pathways to expand U.S.-based manufacturing of drones and critical components.

Panelists will discuss how recent and proposed rulemakings, along with trade, procurement, and security initiatives, can incentivize domestic innovation and U.S. competitiveness while mitigating the risks of foreign reliance. The conversation will highlight challenges and opportunities for U.S. manufacturers, gaps in the supply chain, and how interagency collaboration is shaping a more resilient and secure industrial base for uncrewed systems.

Location: Champions Club - 1st Base

Certification projects involving aircraft autonomy and remote piloting are rapidly progressing towards initial operations in the National Airspace System (NAS). The FAA is actively collaborating with industry on airspace integration and operational considerations to enable these operations and support innovation. During this panel discussion, attendees will learn about the following:

• How the FAA is working across lines of business to address operational considerations for aircraft autonomy as TC/STC projects move through the certification process.
• Strategies that industry is using to proactively address airspace integration and make certain that autonomous/remotely piloted operations fully integrate with all airspace users.
• Details on how industry and FAA view the initial roll-out and scaling of autonomous operations in the NAS.

Speakers

Parimal Kopardekar - Moderator

Mission Integration Manager, Advanced Air Mobility

NASA

David Dunning

Director, Global Innovation & Policy

General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA)

Scott O'Brien

Vice President, Legislative Affairs

Reliable Robotics

David Oord

Director - Policy, Regulatory Affairs & Standards,

Wisk Aero

Location: Champions Club - 3rd Base

As UAS grow in scale and complexity, the regulatory landscape has become increasingly fragmented, spanning airspace integration, communications infrastructure, national security, and spectrum access. This interagency panel brings together leaders from various federal agencies to discuss how each agency’s regulatory authority intersects, and sometimes overlaps, when it comes to UAS oversight.

Panelists will offer clarity on their respective equities, examine current regulatory gaps, and share how interagency coordination is evolving to support a unified and secure approach to UAS governance. Attendees will gain insight into how these agencies are working together to align policy, ensure compliance, and protect both airspace safety and national security in a rapidly evolving drone ecosystem.

Location: Conference Room - Kennedy/Roosevelt

As uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) and advanced air mobility (AAM) move toward widespread deployment, demand is accelerating for radiodetermination spectrum to support safe, scalable operations—from airborne detect-and-avoid to ground-based surveillance and counter-UAS systems. Yet current spectrum allocations were developed long before today’s dynamic aviation landscape emerged. With growing federal and commercial initiatives competing for finite spectrum—from next-gen ATC to vertiport infrastructure and public safety applications—the need for coordination has never been more urgent.

This panel challenges the status quo, advocating for a unified and forward-looking approach to spectrum management that promotes safety, scalability, and operational clarity across all aviation systems, enabling private capital to be deployed against a long-term backdrop of sensible spectrum design and management. Experts from federal agencies and industry will explore how spectrum access must evolve amidst significant concurrent demand from other applications in the airspace.

Location: Champions Club - 1st Base

A congressional leader will offer a perspective on how innovation, regulation, and public policy intersect to advance U.S. leadership in aviation and autonomy.

Location: Champions Club - 1st Base

Leaders from major U.S. airlines and airports come together to discuss the future of aviation operations in a rapidly evolving airspace. This conversation will address shared priorities around safety, system integration, and operational readiness as new technologies and entrants reshape the national airspace.

Location: Champions Club - 3rd Base

As AAM companies approach launch timelines, aircraft certification has become the central challenge, and opportunity, for scaling the industry. This panel brings together FAA leadership and top AAM manufacturers to share how they're collaborating on real-world projects, navigating certification complexity, and aligning efforts with the broader regulatory agenda, including recent Executive Orders aimed at accelerating drone and AAM integration. Panelists will provide updates on aircraft-specific progress, lessons learned from working with FAA’s Aircraft Certification Service, and perspectives on how the certification process can evolve to support innovation while upholding the highest safety standards.

Location: Conference Room - Kennedy/Roosevelt

Drones and advanced air mobility (AAM) technologies are revolutionizing how we respond to crises, from wildfires and law enforcement emergencies to hurricanes and healthcare logistics. As Drone-as-First-Responder (DFR) programs gain traction across the U.S., they highlight both the immense promise of real-time aerial operations and the regulatory, technical, and jurisdictional challenges that still stand in the way of full-scale deployment.

This session will bring together public safety leaders, aerospace innovators, and federal policymakers to explore how UAS and AAM are being integrated into emergency response workflows today - and what’s needed to operationalize these capabilities nationwide. Panelists will examine current policy gaps, including spectrum and airspace access, interagency coordination, and public trust, while offering insight into how local and national stakeholders can accelerate safe, effective, and scalable aerial response systems.

Location: Champions Club - 1st Base

Engaging in the FAA’s rulemaking process is a critical way for stakeholders to participate in the development of aviation policy. This workshop will equip participants with strategies for developing well-structured, constructive comments in response to Notices of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRMs). Attendees will gain insight into what the FAA looks for in public input, how comments are evaluated, and how to ensure their feedback helps the Agency shape future regulations.

Speakers

Eric Bergesen - Moderator

Director of Operations and Regulatory Strategy

UPS Flight Forward

Location: Conference Room - Kennedy/Roosevelt

As UAS and AAM technologies scale across commercial and public sectors, protecting the integrity of U.S. airspace has become a national imperative. Recent Executive Orders have reaffirmed the federal government’s focus on restoring airspace sovereignty, countering foreign-origin threats, and building domestic capabilities to reduce strategic vulnerabilities. This session brings together national security experts and key federal agencies to discuss how the U.S. is advancing a coordinated strategy to mitigate risks across the drone and AAM ecosystem, from counter-UAS operations and supply chain controls to critical infrastructure resilience. Panelists will also explore how industry can align with evolving policy mandates to strengthen the nation’s defense posture without stifling innovation.

• Interagency coordination under the Executive Orders
• Counter-UAS policy landscape (federal, state, and private-sector roles)
• Protecting critical infrastructure from unauthorized drone activity
• Supply chain oversight and technology of concern (TOC) restrictions
• Building trusted, resilient, and domestically sourced UAS capabilities
• Industry compliance expectations and opportunities to support national security goals

Speakers

George Schwartz

EVP, Products

DZYNE Technologies

Location: Champions Club - 3rd Base

Whether predictive tools for navigation system performance, mitigation algorithms for detect and avoid, or advancing a digital ecosystem, the importance of comprehensive risk management and efficient operations in aviation will only continue to grow. NASA’s System-Wide Safety (SWS) and Air Traffic Management - eXploration (ATM-X) projects are focused on developing, testing, and commercially transitioning the necessary safety capabilities to integrate and grow emerging novel and highly-automated operations. By collaborating with the FAA and industry partners, NASA focuses on gaps and challenges identified by the end-user and that are acceptable to regulators for higher impact capabilities. Hear from NASA on what these “in-time” services, functions, and capabilities are, what technology trends were leveraged, and how NASA’s partners are integrating these today.

Speakers

Shivanjli Sharma

Air Traffic Management Exploration Project Manager

NASA

Location: Champions Club - 1st Base

Policy staffers return for a continuation of key legislative discussions, highlighting stakeholder engagement, interagency collaboration, and pathways to progress.

Location: Champions Club - 1st Base

Drones are increasingly part of both the threat landscape and the response toolkit at major public events. As the U.S. prepares for a growing number of high-profile, large-scale gatherings, federal, state, and local agencies are strengthening coordination to ensure safe and secure use of drones in and around mass venues.

This panel explores how the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and some of its security partners are addressing airspace management, counter-UAS protocols, and legal authority constraints. Panelists will provide an inside look at how cross-jurisdictional collaboration works in practice, what drone operators should expect, and how proactive planning is enabling both threat mitigation and positive use cases for drones at scale. With real-world perspectives from stadium security professionals and national airspace experts, this session will offer valuable lessons for the growing intersection of UAS operations, public safety, and live event management.

Location: Champions Club - 3rd Base

The FAA’s vision to implement a collaborative UAS Traffic Management (UTM) ecosystem is accelerating, with the expansion of the UTM Operational Evaluation from starting in North Texas to multiple locations. Join the FAA and industry experts for a deep dive into how operational data, safety analysis, and collaboration at the local level are shaping the path forward. This session will highlight the successes, lessons learned, and strategies emerging from early adopters and how those insights are fueling scalable UTM deployment across the country. Industry stakeholders will gain a clear understanding of what to expect as UTM services roll out nationwide and how to be ready to participation.

Speakers

Amit Ganjoo

Founder & CEO

ANRA Technologies

Location: Conference Room - Kennedy/Roosevelt

Join us for an insightful TSA panel where symposium participants will explore how TSA is proactively preparing for the future by adapting and integrating Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) operations into existing and new security programs. This forward-looking approach aims to provide scalable and suitable security solutions that will significantly benefit operators.

TSA's collaborative efforts with current aircraft operators serve as a foundation for these initiatives. Additionally, the panel will delve into the legal aspects of AAM/UAS and Counter-UAS (C-UAS) testing, highlighting TSA's ongoing involvement in these critical areas. Don't miss this opportunity to gain a comprehensive understanding of TSA's innovative strategies and legal considerations in the evolving landscape of aviation security.

Speakers

James (Jimmy) Elmore

TSS

TSA

Craig Mosford

Aviation Sector Manager - Airports/UAS

TSA

Kathia Pinard

Aviation Sector Manager - General Aviation

TSA

Location: Champions Club - 1st Base

As UAS operations grow in sophistication, so do the waiver requests that support them. In this session, FAA waiver experts will unpack the most frequently requested and complex waivers and exemptions, covering BVLOS, operations over people, drone light shows, and more. Attendees will gain insight into common pitfalls, key safety case elements, and how to craft an effective and efficient waiver package. Whether you're a seasoned operator or just beginning to scale, this session offers practical guidance for achieving operational approvals in today’s evolving regulatory environment.

Location: Champions Club - 3rd Base

As uncrewed aircraft become more common in low-altitude airspace, the need for clear, standardized methods of electronic visibility has never been greater. This panel brings together leaders to discuss the role of e-conspicuity in enabling safer, more predictable integration of drones into the National Airspace System. With new FAA rulemaking on the horizon and increasing interest from crewed aviation stakeholders in maintaining situational awareness and shared airspace safety, panelists will explore how identity broadcasting, interoperability, and electronic visibility can serve as a path toward scalable UAS operations—while balancing privacy, safety, and enforcement.

Location: Conference Room - Kennedy/Roosevelt

As UAS become more widely used across commercial and public sectors, it’s critical that operators and manufacturers understand what happens if things go wrong. This presentation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will explain how the agency investigates UAS accidents, with a focus on the Party Process, the formal structure that governs participation by operators, manufacturers, and other stakeholders. Attendees will learn what to expect if their system is involved in an accident, how data and responsibilities are handled, and how NTSB findings can shape future UAS safety standards and regulatory frameworks. This session is especially valuable for operators, OEMs, and service providers seeking to understand the investigative environment surrounding advanced aviation technologies.

Location: Conference Room - Kennedy/Roosevelt

In this session, the speakers share their involvement and opinions about one of the most closely watched drone investigations of 2024. From advising federal agencies to clarifying airspace classifications, this session highlights what went right, what was misunderstood, and what’s needed to improve future responses involving drone sightings, Counter-UAS, and low-altitude operations.

Speakers

William Austin

President

Warren County Community College

Brandon Youngblood

Chief Executive Officer

Drone Security Services

Location: Champions Club - 3rd Base

As uncrewed systems and AAM operations scale, defining and managing operational risk becomes central to safety, public trust, and regulatory approval. This panel brings together key leaders from ASTM International, RTCA, SAE International, and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to explore how performance-based standards are shaping risk frameworks for emerging aviation technologies.

The discussion will examine how these organizations develop and align standards to support FAA rulemaking, industry certifications, and international harmonization. Panelists will also discuss how operational risk is assessed across different use cases, what gaps remain in current standards, and how lessons learned from incident investigations inform future requirements. From risk classification methodologies to assurance levels and functional safety, attendees will gain a deeper understanding of how consensus-driven technical standards influence policy, approval processes, and ultimately the safety of the national airspace system.

Speakers

Jonathan Archer

Director, Aerospace Standards Strategy & Innovation

SAE International

Andrew Weinert

Technical Staff: Transportation Safety and Resilience

MIT Lincoln Laboratory

Location: Conference Room - Kennedy/Roosevelt

The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) leads several efforts to accelerate the adoption of commercial UxS technologies within the Department of Defense. Yet, despite growing demand, significant barriers remain between government acquisition needs and commercial market realities. This session invites an open dialogue to discuss areas where commercial innovators face friction in the U.S. drone and AAM space. Through interactive Q&A and discussion, DIU will explore opportunities to improve alignment, minimize duplicative barriers, and scale dual-use solutions more effectively. Updates on DIU’s key efforts, including the progress of Project G.I., the Blue UAS List, Blue UAS Select, and Recognized Assessors will also be shared. This session is designed to surface actionable insights and foster cooperation across sectors to accelerate U.S. uncrewed systems capabilities.

Speakers

Trent Emeneker

Project Manager

DIU