2021 FAA UAS Symposium coming soon

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) will co-host Episodes III and IV of the virtual FAA Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Symposium – Remotely Piloted Edition. The theme for this year’s virtual event is “Above and Beyond” and will take place on June 9-10, 2021, and September 14-15, 2021.

Register now to join the conversation as experts from industry, academia, international aviation authorities, and the U.S. government discuss key areas for the future of the drone community – including the operations over people rule, remote identification, airspace authorizations, waivers, the part 107 small UAS rule, changes in hobbyists’ drone operations, and other policies and regulations.

Mark Your Calendar: 2021 FAA UAS Symposium

Last year, the symposium went virtual with a two-part event – “Drones. Here for Good.” Episodes I and II focused on UAS traffic management, global harmonization, the UAS Integration Pilot Program, and public safety operations.

This year Episode III, scheduled for June 9-10, will concentrate on international operations, STEM, public safety operations, recreational drone operations, and commercial drone operations. Episode IV is scheduled for September 14-15 with a focus on UAS traffic management, technology, the BEYOND program, advanced air mobility, and international operations. Each episode will feature keynote presentations, expert panels, guided and non-guided networking discussions, one-on-one meetings with experts in the FAA UAS Support Center, and informational sessions with live Q&A.

2021 FAA UAS Symposium – Episode III Sessions

Welcome to the Dark Side: Night UAS Operations

The final rule on UAS operations over people is the next incremental step towards further integration of UAS in the national airspace system. This rule permits routine operations at night under certain circumstances without the need to receive individual part 107 waivers from the FAA. In this session, we’ll discuss the regulatory requirements for flying at night, the key differences between daylight and nighttime operations, and more information on night ops that remote pilots need to know.

Above All Else: Safety and Operations Over People

After much anticipation, the final rule on operations over people allows routine operations over people under certain circumstances. In this briefing, we’ll explain how remote pilots can comply with the requirements and we’ll provide valuable insights to get the most out of operating your drone over people while managing risk.

Recreational Operations in a Remote ID World

During this panel discussion, we’ll learn how the final rule on remote identification affects the largest segment of the UAS community—recreational flyers. Are there any drones that won’t be required to have remote ID capability? Are there locations where recreational flyers can enjoy flying their drones without remote ID? Join us for answers to these questions and many more about recreational drone operations and remote ID.

Four Prop Harmony: Remote ID Solutions across the Globe

Organizations, with an eye on the evolving ecosystem supporting UAS operations and the impact of Remote ID, are testing solutions to power drone operations across the globe. Take a deep dive into the lessons learned from those developing and testing Remote ID technology. Key issues such as scalability, interoperability, and complexity will be discussed by industry leaders eager to develop a sustainable and synchronized system.

Educate Today, Fly Tomorrow: UAS-Collegiate Training Initiative

Launched in April 2020, the UAS-Collegiate Training Initiative (CTI) has grown to over 70 schools in nearly 40 states. Discover how this program is helping to build the UAS workforce of the future and what members of the initiative have in store.

Small Props, Big Ops: Opportunities in the European Sky

The development of Europe’s UAS Traffic Management (UTM) system, or U-Space, is progressing steadily. In this panel, speakers will address safety standards and the obligations of drone manufacturers and operators, as well as privacy, environmental, and security concerns in the U-Space environment. The panelists will also provide an update on U-Space development and how it is shaping European member state UAS integration.

Firefighting and Drones: Saving Lives and Protecting Firefighters

This panel will discuss the use of UAS in the fire service, including its inception, growth, and future use cases. The panel will also provide specific examples where UAS have had positive impacts in putting down fires, saving lives, and protecting firefighters.

Recreational Flyers—TRUST Us, There’s a Lot to Know

New rules, new registration requirements, and The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST) are just some of the latest developments affecting recreational UAS pilots. Panelists from the FAA UAS Support Center, an FAA Regional Administrator Office, and the First Person View (FPV) Freedom Coalition offer their takes on the hottest recreational UAS topics.

GenerationUAS: Preparing Today’s Students for Tomorrow’s Challenges

How do we make sure that industry and government know where to look to find the next generation of UAS workers? Successful high school programs, camps, and internships are just some of the ways to build and grow a UAS workforce. Panelists from government, industry, and academia will discuss their thoughts on how to prepare today to ensure the workforce of tomorrow.

Asia – Pacific Region UAS Integration Panel

Countries in the Asia-Pacific region continue to make impressive progress toward integrating UAS into their respective airspaces. During this on-demand session, you’ll hear the panelists’ perspectives on innovation, research and development, data collection, standards, regulatory developments, community engagement, private-public partnerships (PPP) and more. The panelists will also share their experiences in managing national UAS integration efforts, efforts for regional alignment, and international harmonization.

An Africa UAS Integration Update

Exciting breakthroughs in UAS development – especially in humanitarian and ecological cases – are taking place in certain African countries and regions. Today, regional and international organizations are offering ways to help bring industry and regulators together to advance UAS integration collaborative efforts to even more countries and regions. Panelists will share how they have worked together to prioritize regulatory framework development, develop innovative UAS integration efforts unique to the region, and meet challenges and opportunities.

When Disaster Strikes: Saving Lives with Drones

This session will discuss the effective use of UAS in the national airspace system (NAS) and work on the preparation for disaster preparedness and response using UAS in the NAS with the “Coordination Across First Responders” FAA research program. This presentation will highlight the program lessons learned to date and exciting new policies for use of UAS in future disaster response. The panelists will focus on pre-planning and coordination efforts by Texas Public Safety that led to successful use of UAS in recent disaster responses.

In Safety We TRUST: The Recreational UAS Safety Test

The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST): What is it? Why is it needed? Who needs to take it? Our panelists will answer these questions and many more during this panel about a new requirement for recreational UAS pilots.

STEM: Helping Aviation Skills Take Root

Engaging the next generation of scientists, engineers, and technologists is an investment in our industry’s future. Drones offer an approachable, hands-on, and fun way to encourage young people to explore future careers in aviation. There are many ways to actively engage students in UAS-related STEM education and this panel will highlight a diversity of outreach approaches across different age groups for students from a variety of backgrounds.

Public Safety and the FAA: Resources to Enable Public Safety UAS Operations

This panel will discuss resources that public safety can use to enable their public safety operations as well as interfacing with the FAA personal who provide public safety support.

BVLOS Global Perspectives: How Do We Get There From Here?

A Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) capability for drones must be scalable, repeatable and commercially viable. Effective public-private partnerships can bring the necessary expertise and resources together in the right environment to achieve these requirements. This panel brings together innovative regulators to share their experiences in collaboration, and to help us understand the technical and other barriers still to be overcome in developing this critical capability.

STEM + UAS: Your Next COO Could Still Be in High School

No matter what your company does, it is likely that you’re more dependent on technology than ever. In this thought-provoking panel, we’ll hear from leaders of educational institutions on how they’re preparing students to meet the business challenges of today and tomorrow.

Anyone from Anywhere: An Inclusive Technology

With drone operations increasing, the need for safe and reliable operators is a necessity. Drone operations also lend themselves to an inclusive flight environment, creating jobs and opportunities for individuals who may not be able to perform certain procedures with traditional tools. This session will feature academics and industry working together to prepare a diverse group of pilots for future operations

Check here the detailed calendar of the event.