Location: Champions Club - 1st Base

The event will begin with welcome remarks and a high-level overview of the policy landscape shaping the future of uncrewed and advanced aviation technologies.

Speakers

Michael Robbins

CEO

AUVSI

Location: Champions Club - 1st Base

Senior leadership from the Department of Transportation will share insights into current priorities, policy direction, and the role of emerging aviation technologies in meeting national goals.

Speakers

Daniel (Dan) Edwards

Acting Assistant Secretary, Aviation and International Affairs

U.S. Department of Transportation

Simone Pérez

Assistant Administrator

Office of Policy and Strategic Engagement

Section 214–215 Stadium Seats, Club Level 2

Attendees will experience live drone delivery demonstrations on-site at Nationals Park, featuring secure, real-world operations by DEXA, Hextronics, and Wing.

Location: Champions Club - 1st 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 - 3rd Base

Special Federal Aviation Regulations (SFARs) are emerging as a critical interim tool to enable the early and safe deployment of AAM operations while broader rulemaking efforts are still underway. This panel brings together the FAA’s Aircraft Certification Service, AAM manufacturers, and legal/policy experts to discuss how SFARs are being developed, what stakeholders can expect in terms of scope and timing, and how industry can prepare to operate under these specialized frameworks. Panelists will also explore how SFARs can help shape long-term regulatory structures while ensuring safety, scalability, and innovation in the near term.

Speakers

Greg Bowles

Chief of Policy

Joby Aviation

David Dunning

Director, Global Innovation & Policy

General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA)

Rocco Nannavecchia

Manager Novel Technology Fielding

Pipistrel

David Oord

Director - Policy, Regulatory Affairs & Standards

Wisk Aero

Alex Simpson

Senior Vice President

Cassidy & Associates

Location: Conference Room - Kennedy/Roosevelt

Spectrum access is a critical enabler of advanced air mobility (AAM) and drone operations—but today's regulatory landscape can challenge newcomers. This session will begin with an overview of the current regulatory framework from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and other federal leaders in spectrum management, followed by a dynamic panel discussion. Attendees will gain clarity on roles and responsibilities across agencies, key questions under review, and how the public and private sectors can align demand, technology, and policy to chart a path forward.

Speakers

Ira Keltz

Acting Chief / OET

Federal Communications Commission

Derek Khlopin

Deputy Associate Administrator for Spectrum Planning and Policy

NTIA

Kristen Mineck

Manager, Aviation Requirements, AAM/IAM

Viasat

Christopher Nassif

Senior Scientist

Department Of Transportation OST-R

Ryan Steinbach

Aviation Policy Coordinator

US DOT

Sandra Wright

Manager of FAA's Spectrum Planning & International Team

FAA

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 session explores 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 - 1st Base

Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations are not one-size-fits-all. From package delivery and powerline inspections to crop monitoring or security, the operational needs, risk profiles, and technological approaches vary widely across industries. In this panel, moderated by the FAA, a range of BVLOS operators will share their perspectives on how the proposed rule can support diverse missions while maintaining safety and scalability. The discussion will explore how regulatory frameworks can enable innovation across stakeholder communities - urban, rural, commercial, and critical infrastructure - while aligning with FAA’s priorities and risk-based oversight.

Speakers

Sean Cassidy - Moderator

Principal, Flightpath Advisors LLC

Flightpath Advisors

Will Dawson

Founder

The Agricultural Drone Initiative

Okeoma Moronu

Head of Regulatory, Policy & Gov't Affairs

Zipline International

Ryan Smith

President

Titan Protection & Consulting

Will Wheeler

Principal, UAS

Southern Company

Conference Room - Kennedy/Roosevelt

Border security and search and rescue missions continue to be valuable applications of UAS operations. In a dynamic policy and regulatory landscape, the most direct pathway to operational approval continues to evolve. This conversation will explore what has been working, current limitations that need to be overcome, and the implications of recent developments in the UAS landscape on future operational approval pathways.

Speakers

John Coggin

Associate Director

Virginia Tech Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership

Anna Dietrich

Sr. Policy Advisor

AUVSI

Nate Dudley

Agent

CBP

Sam Hill

Commander

US Coast Guard

Mary Rupert

Program Manager

DHS C-UAS Program Management Office

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.

Speakers

Steve Roberts

Director, IMT - Autonomous Machines

SUNY Upstate Medical University

Abby Smith

CEO

AnderSmith Solutions LLC

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.

Speakers

Brent Blevins

Subcommittee Staff Director

U.S. House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology

Mike Dankler

Deputy Chief of Staff

Rep. Rudy Yakym (IN-02)

Max Rosen

Associate Vice President, Government Affairs

AUVSI

Nicolas March

Counsel

U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee

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

Steve Cook

Chair, ASTM F38.01 Airworthiness Subcommittee

Northrop Grumman

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

Martin Doczkat

Chief, EMC Division, Office of Engineering & Technology

FCC

Melissa Tye

Associate General Counsel

Verizon

Drew Van Duren

Director, Technical Standards

Qualcomm

Location: Champions Club - 3rd Base

This panel will explore how Tulsa is translating EO 14307 and the DoD’s drone acquisition memo into real-world industry growth. Featuring partners from Tulsa’s emerging drone ecosystem, this session will show how local collaboration can capitalize on national policies. We’ll highlight what’s working, what’s needed from regulators, and how other regions can replicate this model to build American drone dominance from the ground up.

Speakers

Chase Beasley

Director, Government Affairs

Tulsa Innovation Labs

Randy Burke

Executive Director

Skyway Range

Chad Raduege

Consultant

Consultant

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.

Speakers

Casie Ocana - Moderator

Vice President, Public Affairs

AUVSI

Bart Meroney

Executive Director for Manufacturing

International Trade Administration

Location: Conference Room - Kennedy/Roosevelt

Join this fireside chat between Mark Blanks, Head of Global Flight Operations, Standards, and Regulatory Affairs for Wing and Earl Lawrence, Aviation Policy Lead for Advanced Projects at Joby Aviation and Former Executive Director of the FAA’s Office of UAS Integration. The conversation will look into the future of a broad array of drone operations in the US enabled by a properly written rule for routine flights beyond visual line of sight, the implications for investment in the US, and how safety solutions can be unlocked for the National Airspace System with global leadership in aviation autonomy.

Speakers

Mark Blanks

Head of Global Flight Operations, Standards, & Regulatory

Wing

Earl Lawrence

Aviation Policy Lead - Advanced Projects

Joby Aviation

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

Bruce DeCleene

Director, Office of Senior Technical Experts

FAA

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.

Speakers

Geoffrey Irving

Director, Technology Analysis

OICTS, BIS, DOC

John Lockwood

Senior Legal and Policy Advisor

Federal Communications Commission

Scott Shtofman

Associate Vice President & Counsel, Regulatory Affairs

AUVSI

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.

Speakers

Leo McCloskey

VP Marketing

Echodyne

Kristen Mineck

Manager, Aviation Requirements, AAM/IAM

Viasat

Christopher Nassif

Senior Scientist

Department of Transportation OST-R

Scott Patrick

Executive Director

NTIA Office of Spectrum Management

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.

Speaker

Senator Rick Scott

Senator (FL)

U.S. Senate

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.

Speakers

Charles Cope

Director – Advanced Air Mobility Air Charter Operations

Republic Airways

Bobby Fraser

Head of Regulatory Affairs & Policy, DOT/FAA

United Airlines

Jana Lozano

Director of Policy

Delta Air Lines

Section 214–215 Stadium Seats, Club Level 2

Attendees will experience live drone delivery demonstrations on-site at Nationals Park, featuring secure, real-world operations by DEXA, Hextronics, and Wing.

Location: Champions Club - 1st Base

As commercial drone and advanced air mobility (AAM) operations evolve from isolated deployments to everyday transportation solutions, the question is no longer if scale is possible, but how to maintain momentum toward it safely and sustainably.

Join this fireside chat for a forward-looking discussion on how regulators and industry are working together to align safety frameworks, integrate operations into the airspace, and build public trust. The session will explore both current progress and what’s needed next, from detect-and-avoid and certification to crew models, autonomy, and the digital infrastructure that supports complex airspace integration.

With perspectives that span drone delivery, autonomous systems, and future passenger-carrying operations, this session will examine how emerging aviation is moving from pilot programs to scalable reality, without compromising safety.

Speakers

Matt McCardle

Director of Global Regulatory, Strategy, and Infrastructure for Prime Air

Amazon

Chris Senn

Assistant Administrator, Office of Government & Industry Affairs

Federal Aviation Administration

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.

Speakers

Kristen Costello

Director of Regulatory Affairs

BETA Technologies

Anna Dietrich

Sr. Policy Advisor

AUVSI

James Foltz

Deputy Director, Policy and Standards Division, Aircraft Certification Service

Federal Aviation Administration

Earl Lawrence

Aviation Policy Lead - Advanced Projects

Joby Aviation

Eric Wright

Head of Certification

Archer Aviation Inc

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.

Speakers

Christopher Hewlett

Executive Director, Project ULTRA

GrandSKY

Parimal Kopardekar

Mission Integration Manager, Advanced Air Mobility

NASA

Aaron Pierce

CEO

Pierce Aerospace

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

Sean Cassidy

Principal, Flightpath Advisors LLC

Flightpath Advisors

Scott Shtofman

Associate Vice President & Counsel, Regulatory Affairs

AUVSI

Joshua Turner

Partner

Wiley Rein

Location: Champions Club - 3rd Base

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

Mary Rupert

Program Manager

DHS C-UAS Program Management Office

George Schwartz

EVP, Products

DZYNE Technologies

Paul Strande

Director of Research & Testing, AAM & UAS Integration Office

FAA

Michael Tierney

C-UAS Analyst

DHS C-UAS Program Management Office

Location: Conference Room - Kennedy/Roosevelt

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

Summer Brandt

System-Wide Safety Project Manager

NASA

Location: Champions Club - 1st Base

NASA has launched a new initiative focused on the enabling future scalability and user mix in safe manner. PK will discuss main tenets of the Sky for All vision, which is targeted towards mid-century needs, and identify opportunities for industry to collaborate with NASA.

Speakers

Parimal Kopardekar

Mission Integration Manager, Advanced Air Mobility

NASA

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

Benjamin Berlin

Aviation Regulatory Counsel

Zipline International

Amit Ganjoo

Founder & CEO

ANRA Technologies

Keely Griffith

Vice President, Strategic Programs

AUVSI

Matthew Satterley

Global Head of Policy

Wing

Andy Thurling

VP, Airspace Innovation

DroneUp, LLC

Location: Conference Room - Kennedy/Roosevelt

Join this session for a briefing the C-UAS Test Bed program which enables TSA to validate and verify UAS Detect, Identify, Monitor and Track (DIMT) and Mitigate (DIMT-M) technologies for effectiveness and suitability in varying operational aviation environments.

Speakers

Jim Bamberger

Division Director, Multimodal & Public Area Capabilities

TSA

Location: Champions Club - 1st Base

Join the leaders of the Advanced Air Mobility Interagency Working Group as they share the progress of the National Strategy to advance AAM in America and the Comprehensive Plan that is meant to guide Federal actions and investments for the next ten years to help ready America for a new age of low altitude economic prosperity that promises to bring benefits to all regions of the United States.

Speakers

Jay Carrigan

TSA Liaison to DOT

TSA

Michael Hardin

Aviation Analyst

U.S. Department of Transportation

Wendy O'Connor

Executive Director, Advanced Air Mobility and UAS Integration Office

FAA

Akbar Sultan

Director, Airspace Operations and Safety Program

NASA

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.

Speakers

Joseph Sedor

Chief Technical Advisor (Space and Advanced Aerospace Investigations)

National Transportation Safety Board

Location: Champions Club - 1st 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

Anna Dietrich

Sr. Policy Advisor

AUVSI

Rebecca Morrison

Senior Director, Standards and Technologies, RTCA, Inc.

RTCA

Joseph Sedor

Chief Technical Advisor (Space and Advanced Aerospace Investigations)

National Transportation Safety Board

Andrew Weinert

Technical Staff: Transportation Safety and Resilience

MIT Lincoln Laboratory

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.

Speakers

Jon Damush

Chief Executive Officer

uAvionix

Jim McClay

Director, Regulatory Affairs

AOPA

Scott Shtofman

Associate Vice President & Counsel, Regulatory Affairs

AUVSI

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: 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