Keynote address explores drone industry collaboration, regulation and commercial opportunities

This year, Commercial UAV Expo celebrated its tenth anniversary, and the opening keynote for the 2024 event discussed the progress the drone industry has made in recent years, the current state of the UAV sector, and what the coming years hold for drone companies, organizations, and professionals.

At the beginning of the session, Commercial UAV News Editorial Director Jeremiah Karpowicz presented the celebration of the tenth anniversary of the event and encouraged attendees to attend the Commercial UAV Expo Europe, scheduled for April 2025 in Amsterdam. He then handed the program over to Lisa Ellman and Gretchen West of the Commercial Drone Alliance (CDA). Their talk, titled “The State of the Drone Industry: Will Better Collaboration Unlock the Full Potential of Drones?”, covered recent regulatory developments and the need for public-private collaboration on policy.

Ellman, the CDA executive director, called the FAA Reauthorization Act “the biggest victory in the last year” for the drone industry. The bill, which directs the FAA to establish a path for beyond-line-of-sight operations, creates two additional test sites for companies to begin using unmanned aircraft to deliver packages and gives the FAA enforcement authority to prohibit unauthorized or unsafe use of unmanned aircraft, will do much to move our industry forward, she said.

The bill includes “provisions that can really help the industry grow and accelerate commercialization so we can enjoy all the benefits of commercial drones,” Ellman said.

The FAA’s authorization, West and Ellman said, came about through close collaboration between drone companies and regulators involved in setting aviation policy. That collaboration needs to continue, West said, as the implementation process continues.

“We have a number of key pieces of legislation coming out of our industry over the next year, and there are so many opportunities for all of you to get involved, whether it’s through the Commercial Drone Alliance, on your own, or through your organizations,” West said. “There are some really important opportunities for all of you to get involved, and I hope you’ll do that.”

Demonstrating the importance of public-private collaboration, the next portion of the introductory presentation featured a one-on-one discussion between Ellman and Tim Arel, chief operating officer of the FAA’s Air Traffic Organization. Focusing on the need to safely integrate drones into the nation’s airspace, Arel called for a common communications system.

To that end, Arel explained the need for an “IT-centric” secure data exchange system that would allow drone operators, conventional aviation pilots, public agencies and others to access essential safety information. He said it would help address critical cybersecurity and public safety issues.

Arel said the key to the success of such a system is public acceptance. “As we grow and work on integration, we need to engage the public,” he said, assuring that the systems were implemented in a safe and responsible manner.

During the call, Arel also touched on work being done at the UTM Test Site in Texas, where he said he was “excited” about the effort to develop strategies for flying commercial drones in dense urban areas and creating effective UTM systems. “We want to learn with the industry the pros and cons or best practices as we evolve our management system,” he said.

The final segment of the keynote presentation featured a discussion focused on commercial opportunities and business strategies in the drone space. Moderated by Gretchen West of CDA, the conversation featured Eric Brock of Ondas Autonomous Systems, Jon Damush of uAvionix Corporation, and Erik Mintz of Mitsubishi Electric. Each panelist provided their assessment of the current drone market and advice for industry professionals on how to grow their businesses and achieve success and stability.

Commenting on the state of the industry, Brock said that the “regulatory backdrop has become stronger,” which will help companies attract capital and scale. Damush believes that the industry is emerging from a “dip in disillusionment” and is moving toward growth. Mintz, for his part, compared the drone industry to the personal computer industry of years past, and that it will soon have its “dotcom moment” and see increased growth.

To move forward, Mintz said companies need to focus on defining themselves and their brands and engage in more extensive product marketing. Damush said drone companies need to establish themselves to be fully capable of performing the necessary tasks safely and efficiently. “We need to get to the point where it’s boring, reliable and safe,” he said. “When you do that, you’ll have a really good business.”