Date: 16 January 2024
Location: Virtual
Chaired by: Henry Smith MP, Chair, Future of Aviation APPG
Dave Pankhurst, Director of Drones, BT, Professor James Scanlan, Professor of Aerospace Design, University of Southampton, Robert Garbett, Chief Executive, Drone Major Group, Simon Phippard, Bird & Bird; and Anne-Lise Scaillierez, The Drone Office and ARPAS-UK
This conference, taking place on Tuesday, 16th January 2024, will focus on the future of the UK drone industry, and priorities for supporting innovation and growth.
It will be an opportunity for key stakeholders and policymakers to discuss next steps for policy and regulation, as well as action by the drone sector and its partners, following recommendations in the HM Treasury Pro-innovation Regulation of Technologies Review.
Delegates will look at how best to unlock commercial potential for drones, looking at use cases across industries, consumer engagement, and models of funding for research and development in the sector, especially for newer entrants to the market.
Further sessions look at the way for forward for developing collaborative frameworks for industry stakeholders, including UTMs and drone developers, agreements and the steps needed to enhance connectivity and airspace integration to support growth in the sector.
Expect discussion on UKRI’s Future Flight Challenge, its outcomes so far and next steps for 2024 and beyond, as well as the CAA’s Airspace Modernisation Strategy and international case studies on best practice for drone regulation and policy.
Overall, areas for discussion include:
- Policy and regulation: frameworks for collaboration between government, regulators and industry – providing support and certainty for new entrants and smaller industry players
- Commercialisation: priorities for drone market development – latest use cases and strategies for realising the potential of commercial drone use – consumer engagement
- Innovation: what is needed across industry and government to foster innovation – next steps for funding and investment for research and development – infrastructure priorities
- Collaboration: opportunities for cross-sector collaboration and frameworks for industry and UTMs – practical, legal, technological and commercial considerations for harmonisation of airspace
- Safety and security: prospects for airspace integration – BVLOS regulation – security and safety for UAVs – operating standards – building public trust
- International markets: key commercial trends and opportunities – lessons for the UK drone sector – opportunities for collaboration – the UK’s potential leadership role