Want to See the Future of Autonomy? XPONENTIAL 2024 Is Your Best Bet
BY Zacc Dukowitz
3 April 2024Interested in autonomy? What about the future of drones and other robotic technology? Then AUVSI XPONENTIAL is the conference for you.
According to AUVSI, XPONENTIAL is the largest annual gathering for uncrewed systems, autonomy, and robotics, as well as the industries and communities in those industries.
And AUVSI has the numbers to back that claim up.
Here are the stats for XPONENTIAL 2024:
- 7,500 anticipated attendees
- 20+ countries represented
- 650+ companies exhibiting
This year the XPONENTIAL conference will be held from April 22-25 in San Diego, CA, and we can’t wait.
Learn more about XPONENTIAL 2024, or keep reading to see all the reasons we’re excited about AUVSI this year.
Why Should You Attend?
Whether you’re looking to network, want to display your drone and robotics tech, or just want to see what’s happening at the bleeding edge of autonomy, XPONENTIAL has something for you.
Here are the top reasons to consider going this year.
1. See Cutting Edge Technology First Hand
The XPONENTIAL exhibition hall goes beyond drone technology, showcasing cutting-edge tech from 650+ vendors across air, ground, and maritime domains in a space spanning 10,000 square feet.
With over 30 exhibit categories covering markets such as transportation, agriculture, construction, defense, and public safety, the XPO Hall will have something for everyone.
The Skydio X10
2. Stay Informed on Industry Trends & Regulations
Want to know where autonomy is headed?
The future of autonomy will be on full display at XPONENTIAL, allowing attendees to gain valuable insights into industry developments for where autonomy is headed in the coming years.
It’s also a great place to learn about regulatory updates and shifts in the drone and robotics industries, with scheduled discussions on topics like the FAA reauthorization bill, the software powering new forms of transportation in cities, and shifts in Department of Defense spending, including the Pentagon’s Replicator program.
3. Network and Connect with Industry Leaders
Whether you’re looking for work, seeking new hires, want to find new partners for your company, or just want to grow your list of uncrewed contacts, XPONENTIAL is a great place to network.
The conference will have over 7,500 autonomous technology experts in attendance, coming from over 60 countries and 20 industries, including technologists, policymakers, and industry leaders.
4. Access In-Depth Education
We love to learn—after all, education is central to our mission here at UAV Coach. And the learning opportunities at XPONENTIAL are huge and diverse.
The conference will feature 150+ education sessions led by over 300 industry experts, covering diverse topics such as infrastructure and operations, technical research and development, data and analytics, cybersecurity, and policy and regulations.
5. Problem-Focused Live Demos
In addition to seeing the latest drone and robotics autonomy tech in the exhibit hall, the conference will have live demos where you can see that technology in action.
Rather than just being a display of the technology alone, the live demos will be arranged around a series of problem sets that bring together systems across multiple domains, including aerial, maritime, and ground based systems.
What Will Be Covered at the Conference?
This year’s conference centers around five critical themes related to autonomy:
- Infrastructure and Operations. Designing processes and structures to make autonomy a reality
- Technical Research and Development. Sharing the latest research and breakthroughs to propel the industry forward
- Data and Analytics. Building a strong foundation for data standards, collection, processing, and design
- Cybersecurity. Investing in the resilience of autonomous systems
- Policy and Regulations. Enabling the safe and seamless integration of autonomous technology
These five themes will be explored in keynotes, collaborative workshops, and breakout sessions, with talks offered across a range of related topics.
Wondering what these themes will actually look like when it comes to specific talks that will be offered?
Here are three examples of the workshops and sessions you’ll have to choose from at the conference:
- Electrifying State Air Transportation Infrastructure. Learn about the infrastructure, investments, and guidance needed to usher in the era of electric air and multimodal transportation.
- Payload Delivery to Offshore Wind Turbines Using Unmanned Helicopters. Learn how unmanned industrial helicopters with high payload capacity can reduce down-times and minimize losses.
- Mechanism-Free Rotors for On-Demand Noise Control and Mission Adaptivity. See new research that shows how the thrust generated by a rotor can be varied by morphing its blades without the use of mechanisms.
There will also be creative and cultural talks, like one being offered by Harry Yeff (aka Reeps One) called “Undoing a Narrative of Fear.” Yeff’s talk will share how we can foster a constructive dialogue on responsibly integrating technologies like AI and autonomy into our work and lives, as well as our art.
Yeff is known for his Voice Gems project, which makes unique digital gems out of a speaker’s voice, seeking to archive the most precious voices on Earth.
View this post on Instagram
Need Help Making the Business Case for Drones?
As drone adoption grows, we often see internal advocates struggle to make the case that the investment in drone technology is worth it.
Which can be frustrating. You know drones can make your work easier, faster, and safer—but you may not be equipped with the right data, or the right way to present that data, to make decision-makers in your company understand.
The problem is big, and presents a major hurdle for drone adoption. AUVSI knows this, and has devoted an entire track called The Business Case to help you address it.
Here’s what that track will cover:
- How do I make the case to implement and integrate these technologies into my own
operations as an end user? - What can I learn from other experts in other fields that are now implementing and integrating
uncrewed systems into their operations? - How are organizations using data with respect to machine learning and developing
autonomous systems?
Want to Attend XPONENTIAL 2024?
XPONENTIAL is just three weeks away—if you’re thinking about going, now is the time to start making plans.
