Day #0 - 10 November
Day #1 - 11 November
Navigating Urban Skies and Aerial Cities: Emerging Trends and Evolutions
- Lorenzo Murzilli Thomas Curran Magdalena Szymańska
This panel will analyse the latest trends, challenges, and successes in aerial cities and urban environments, with input from cities, regions, and Civil Aviation Authorities (CAAs). Panellists will dive deep into the significant advancements and challenges in cities and urban environments. A comprehensive overview will be given on the continuously evolving landscape of aerial mobility across different countries, cities, and regions.
Urban Infrastructure and Drone Integration: Preparing Cities for the Future of Aerial Mobility
- Lorenzo Murzilli Malachy Bradley Michael Robbins José Javier Rodríguez Hernández
This panel will explore the readiness of cities to accommodate drone technologies, including vertiports and eVTOLs. Experts will discuss the challenges and progress in planning, permissions, and education for urban infrastructure, and will examine the collaboration between city planners, authorities, and commercial stakeholders.
The Commercial Imperative: Operationalising U-Space in Urban Environments
- Richard Boden Larissa Haas Nina Dorfmayr Matthias Gronstedt Khushboo Wadhwani
This session will examine the commercial realities of U-Space, highlighting the tension between enabling growth and over-regulation. The panellists will assess the role of automation, what has already been done, social acceptance, and operational feedback in shaping scalable, industry-ready frameworks.
Global Supply Chains and Drone Manufacturing: Navigating Strategic Dependencies
- Lorenzo Murzilli
This panel will examine the complexities of global drone manufacturing, with a focus on supply chain security, geopolitical tensions, and component dependencies. Speakers will explore industry resilience, diversification strategies, and the broader implications for innovation and market stability.
Investor Perspectives on Scaling Businesses
- Pau Guarro i Oliver Alan Costello Jon Bradford Brian Caulfield Stephen Tully
In this session, key stakeholders from both the private and public investment sectors will share their insights and viewpoints on the drone and eVTOL markets. The discussion will explore the effects of these challenges on market dynamics, investment patterns, and future prospects. The aim is to offer clarity on how investors are navigating the landscape, adjusting to different strategies, and pinpointing areas with strong potential for growth.
Day #2 - 12 November
Data-Driven Safety in Drone Operations
- Lorenzo Murzilli Ewa Gowers Thomas Neubauer Joerg Dittrich Tim McCarthy
As drones become more integrated into daily life, data plays a critical role in improving safety and supporting informed regulation. This panel will examine how data from flight logs, accident records, and insurance claims can be used to advance safety standards, reduce human error, and accelerate the shift toward autonomous systems. Speakers will also discuss how regulators and the industry can better collaborate by sharing data to create smarter, more adaptive frameworks.
eVTOL and Vertiports: Scaling Urban Air Mobility for the Future
- Dan Grande Sloat Russell Vickers Clem Newton-Brown Verity Richardson
This panel will revisit the key challenges and opportunities in the development of eVTOL and vertiports, building on last year’s discussions in Aerial Cities 2024. Experts will share insights on regulatory, technological, and infrastructure advancements needed to scale urban air mobility in modern cities.
End User Perspectives: Shaping Public Perception and Adoption with Clear Business and Societal Benefits (Part 1)
- Eszter Kovács Sean McCarthy Teresa Hudson Philipp Eder Simon Bachelor
This panel will examine the impact of drone services on everyday end users, from small businesses to industrial and public safety operators. Drawing on real-world examples, panellists will explore business and societal benefits and readiness and how local and global businesses, as well as local authorities and users of drone services, can benefit from new drone services while addressing concerns from those less eager to embrace the technology.
End User Perspectives: Shaping Public Perception and Adoption with Clear Business and Societal Benefits (Part 2)
- Eszter Kovács Maron Kristófersson Camille Hoisington
This panel will examine the impact of drone services on everyday end users, from small businesses to industrial and public safety operators. Drawing on real-world examples, panellists will explore business and societal benefits and readiness and how local and global businesses, as well as local authorities and users of drone services, can benefit from new drone services while addressing concerns from those less eager to embrace the technology.
End Users in Rural and Remote Environments: Unlocking the Potential of Delivery and Cargo Drones
- Thilo Uebbert Mathias Vinter Soo Soon Teong Corinne Matthews
This panel will explore the opportunities and challenges of deploying delivery and cargo drones in rural and sparsely populated areas. Panellists will discuss different use cases, examining how drone technology can address unique logistical needs and benefit communities outside urban centres.
Seamless Connectivity for Autonomous BVLOS Drone Operations
- Alastair MacLeod Matthew Hill Joe Darden Andy Sproson Barbara Pareglio
Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) missions demand more than just coverage—they require resilient, scalable, and intelligently managed connectivity. This session will explore how drones can achieve uninterrupted communication by integrating satellite and cellular networks. Experts will discuss best practices for satcom integration, redundancy strategies, handover mechanisms, and latency management. The panel will also address how to design communication architectures that balance SWaP constraints while enabling autonomous, long-range fleet operations in remote and hard-to-reach environments
Unlocking Revenue and Scaling Success in the Drone Industry
- Eszter Kovács Claudia Romeo Gurrea-Nozaleda Bobby Healy Glen Lynch Jef Geudens Emily DeMarche
This session brings together industry leaders, commercial operators, and investors to explore the key drivers of profitability in the drone sector. Attendees will gain valuable insights into what it takes to move beyond pilot projects and turn cutting-edge technology into a commercially viable, revenue-generating enterprise.
Building Societal Readiness Through Trust and Safe Integration
- Juan José Sola Mariah Murray Eduardo Pereira González Kai Bauer
Societal acceptance is a vital step toward the successful integration of drones into everyday environments. This panel explores what readiness means from a public perspective, emphasising the importance of community trust, visible safety practices, and inclusive engagement. Panelists will discuss how operators can proactively foster confidence by ensuring safe environments, addressing public concerns, and working closely with end users.