• The Conference

Agenda-At-A-Glance



Agenda-At-A-Glance

The UAS Summit & Expo will feature presentations, tours and insight on commercial UAV manufacturing and distribution, UAS technology offerings, regulatory updates, business case models, commercial uses, payload offerings and other topics impacting the exciting, emerging commercial UAS industry.

In addition to individual presentations from regulators, manufacturers, commercial pilots and others, the event will include in-depth analysis from the UAS Magazine editorial staff and panel-style project updates from industry:
  • Commercial Manufacturing Updates
  • Regulatory Updates
  • Payload Trends
  • What Commercial Users are Looking For
  • User Profiles and Perspective
  • New Technologies
  • Successful UAV Applications and Implementations
  • Industry Outlook

2016 UAS Summit & Expo’s Focused Content On:


How UAS Major
Manufacturers are
Ascending

Important milestones from the past year explained; commercialization initiatives revealed; future project plans discussed.

Presentations by:
  • Northrop Grumman Corp.
  • General Atomics
  • Insitu
  • Textron Systems
  • Harris Corp.
Big Data’s Entrance Into
UAS Operations

The Midwest Big Data Hub explains new work being done to better utilize UAS-captured data through never-before performed projects in agriculture and disaster relief. Plus: learn the intricacies of UAS-data usage from experts in the field.

Presentations by:
  • Midwest Big Data Hub members
  • Private ndustry, UAS data software developers
Lessons Learned From
The Shark Tank

Following her role advising the UAS Shark Tank success Xcraft, a nationally respected UAS and patent attorney reveals why UAS innovators need sound legal advice to protect their property.

Presentation by:
  • Melissa Coombes, U.S. Patent Attorney, Lee & Hayes






UAS In-House Input from
Multiple U.S. Department
of Defense and
Government-related
Entities

Recent operational highlights; current- and future-needs; perspective on UAS integration into the NAS.

Presentation by:
  • Brigadier General John Rauch, director of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, U.S. Air Force
  • Matthew Barger, intelligence and technology portfolio lead, office of infrastructure protection, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
  • Colonel Christopher Larson, 69th Reconnaissance Group Commander, Grand Forks Air Force Base;
  • North Dakota Air National Guard
  • U.S. Customs and Border Protection
UAS at the State, Federal
Level: Laws, Regulations,
Policies and Perspectives
From Industry Analysts
and Policymakers

From state-by-state updates to the current view from the hill, Congressional delegates and industry experts will explain the regulatory direction the UAS industry is headed.

Presentations by:
  • Association For Unmanned Vehicles Systems International
  • U.S. Senator John Hoeven, R-N.D.
  • U.S. Rep. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D.
  • Former U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan, D-N.D.;
  • N.D. Lt. Gov. Drew Wrigley
  • UAS State Law Expert Sarah Nilsson
  • Industry Consultant Doug Marshall
  • Small UAV Coalition
The Precedent-Setting
Large-UAV Flight

Following a summer of flights above the farm fields and rivers of eastern North Dakota, a project to demonstrate the capabilities of a large UAV purpose flown for ag and disaster relief efforts will be ready to reveal to the entire U.S. UAS industry. The early results of the work will blaze the trail for future large UAV flights in the U.S. and reveal what it takes to operate mid- to large-sized UAVs in the U.S.

Presentation by:
  • Elbit Systems of America
  • North Dakota State University






25 Million Acres Captured:
How Sentera Could
Redefine the Role of UAS
in Precision Ag

Software, platform and operations insight from Sentera—a Minneapolis-based precision ag and UAS entity that has carved out a major stake in the precision ag and UAS discussion.

Presentation by:
  • Presentations by: Sentera, private users
Operational Success:
Monitoring Energy
Infrastructure and
Pipelines

Through work with the Pipeline Research Council International Inc., an east-coast-based UAS developer and service provider has flown for refineries and midstream pipeline operators. Find out what the company has learned and how UAS entities and energy producers can truly connect.

Presentation by:
  • American Aerospace Technologies Inc., More To Be Announced
Regional End-User Input
Sugar beet farmers, seed growers, utility managers, law enforcement, others share proven concepts gained from the field and what they need from platforms, sensors and service providers.

From Europe to North
Dakota: Why European
UAS Firms are Flocking
to the Northern Plains

Platform developers, sensor designers and full UAS services are moving to or eyeing North Dakota as their future U.S. corporate headquarters. These recent Europe to North Dakota movers explain why and what they plan for the U.S.

Presentation by:
  • Sharper Shape; Robotic Aviation
The Impact of 107
Industry expectations, feedback, activity projections and more from currently operating UAS firms.
Northern Plains UAS Test
Site Update: Recent Projects, Research,
Knowledge Gained

From the team that has brought the UAS industry more test-site firsts than any other, the Northern Plain UAS team will give presentations from multiple members including the executive director and other staff.

Presentation by:
  • Northern Plains UAS Test Site Team
Inside the FAA’s
Tech Center

In addition to its recent work demonstrating a ship-to-shore delivery, members from the U.S. Federal Aviation’s Administration’s Tech Center will share the latest on important projects and future plans.

Presentation by:
  • FAA, Ship-To-Shore Demonstration Participants






XCEL Energy’s UAS Vision
What started out as an idea has turned into a major initiative and investment by a major utility based in Denver to change the culture of the company by adding UAS to its day-to-day operations.

Presentation by:
  • XCEL Energy
Operational Updates from
the Nation’s Largest UAS
Business and Aviation Park

Grand Sky Business & Aviation Park leaders share highlights from the past year and exciting plans or announcements slated for the nation’s first, largest and most successful UAS aviation and business park.

Presentation by:
  • Grand Sky, Tenants
Industry Insider:
The Mood on the Hill

A North Dakota industry representative shares his insight on the yet-to-be-talked-about issues facing the UAS industry (especially North Dakota) along with details on other important under-the-radar UAS topics.

Presentation by:
  • Shawn Bullard, Director, Duetto Group
Building the World’s
Best UAS Ecosystem

Regional leaders and industry participants share what it took to make North Dakota a prominent player in the UAS space along with what they have planned for the future.
Going to School at a
Nationally Recognized
UAS Institution

Lead researchers and instructors from the region’s UAS institutions explain recent research projects and what students are focusing on today

Presentation by:
  • University of North Dakota
  • North Dakota State University
  • Northland Community & Technical College
  • Lake Region State College

Partner

Platinum Level Sponsors

Gold Level Sponsors

Supporting Organizations

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