GREENSBORO – The North Carolina Department of Transportation’s aviation division is hosting a three-day summit aimed to convene entrepreneurs, students, professionals, government representatives and researchers in the state’s growing drone industry.

The NC Drone Summit & Flight Expo, held at the Grandover Resort in Greensboro August 11-13, features several panels and keynotes, an indoor expo, outdoor UAS flight demos and a startup pitch competition.

Five public and private sector leaders in the aerospace and drone sectors will deliver the event’s keynotes. The speakers include Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International CEO Brian Wynne, NASA Urban Air Mobility Grand Challenge Deputy Lead Marcus Johnson, Brigadier General Todd Hunt of the NC National Guard, FAA Unmanned Air Craft Systems Integration Office Executive Director Jay Merkle and DJI Vice President and North American Manager Mario Rebello.

Throughout the three-day event, 13 panels will cover drones’ use in airports, supply chain and logistics, law enforcement, disaster response and other applications. Panels will also cover the latest drone research, state initiatives and policy considerations for the sector.

The “UnMannedUp” startup pitch competition will be held on the afternoon of August 13.  The finalists, soon to be announced, will get exclusive networking with investors and mentors at the summit.

The NC Drone Summit comes in timing with several noteworthy advancements in North Carolina’s drone market.

In March, North Carolina hosted the U.S.’s first revenue-generating drone flight sanctioned by the Federal Aviation Administration. The pilot program involved transporting blood samples to WakeMed buildings in Raleigh.

First in drones: WakeMed, partners kick off medical drone delivery program

The NC Department of Transportation is one of only three state DOTs in the FAA’s Integration Pilot Program. The NC DOT’s drone technology initiatives are helping put North Carolina on the map as a state that’s demonstrating “cutting-edge research” in the drone field, as stated a recent American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials survey.

Earlier this year, the NC DOT won a XCELLENCE Award from the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International for its use of drone technology in response to Hurricane Florence last September. The NC DOT deployed 15 drone pilot teams to gather aerial data to inform the state’s emergency relief efforts.

Drone survey cites North Carolina DOT as example of growing use

Local drone startups are also gaining traction in the industry.

Notably, Raleigh startup PrecisionHawk has raised over $100 million in capital since its founding nine years ago. Most of that funding—around $75 million—was raised in a 2018 Series D round. PrecisionHawk CEO Michael Chasen, who was recently chosen to become chairman of the Federal Aviation Administration’s Drone Advisory Committee, says the company is seeing 100% growth year over year.

Research from Triangle-based universities also contributes to the growing list of use cases for the drone market. NC State researchers are studying how consumer-grade drones can monitor marine species such as sharks, sea turtles and rays. Duke University engineers are working with the Department of Public Safety to develop a drone-enabled monitoring system that would stop contraband from entering prisons.

Duke engineers develop system to stop drones delivering contraband to prisons

The agenda for the NC Drone Summit is set to highlight this growth and provide more knowledge into the challenges the industry faces in the years to come.

Today is the last day to register online. Starting August 6, on-site tickets will cost $350 for government attendees and $450 for the general audience. Student tickets cost $150.

https://wraltechwire.com/event/2019-nc-drone-summit-flight-expo/