Why Amsterdam Drone Week is a Game-Changer in the Drone Industry

Amsterdam Drone Week has been one of the European drone industry’s most important shows since it’s inception.  ADW is co-located with the EASA high level conference on drones: it draws the industry’s most prominent thought leaders from around the globe to hear and contribute to discussions with European lawmakers.  This concentration of high level stakeholders has always made ADW a prominent event: but as the show has evolved, Amsterdam Drone Week is now a can’t miss for drone industry players interested in urban air mobility, smart cities, and the future of a society with access to  life-changing technologies.

(Register for Amsterdam Drone Week here.)

DRONELIFE spoke with Nynke Lipsius, the Director of Amsterdam Drone Week at RAI Amsterdam, for a glimpse of what’s ahead at ADW this year. With over 25 years of experience in events and exhibitions, Nynke has dedicated more than 13 years to RAI Amsterdam, where she oversees all mobility events. Her team’s objective is to create valuable connections among customers, partners, and stakeholders by organising world-class events and platforms that enhance industry value.  Central to this approach is leveraging digital transformation as a cornerstone for developing and implementing advanced business models, reflecting her passion for innovation.

What are some of the key innovations in urban air mobility and commercial drones that will be showcased at this year’s Amsterdam Drone Week industry conference?

ADW has always been a place to meet high level contacts from providers and large municipal and regional users, as they collaborate with EASA lawmakers to develop the structure for drone use that will benefit communities.  Nynke says that this year will again feature major players in both the sUAS and larger eVTOL, urban air mobility spaces.

“During ADW this year you can see the state of art on Air Mobility; companies like Wisk, Volocopter and Wing will share their latest innovations on automated/autonomous and electric vehicles.  As we are on the threshold of the Air Mobility era; we will welcome a lot of cities and regions that will start flying with eVTOLs soon like Paris, Osaka, Middle East, and California,” said Nynke.

“We are also proud to welcome areas that are already operating smaller drones for critical applications: like the Hamburg Region and the Port of Rotterdam. Several drone operators will show their applications in verticals including police, fire department, customs, and delivery. These companies will share different applications, business cases and their experience with traffic control during presentations and discussions on the floor.”

Can you share some insights about the EASA high-level conference on drones that is co-located with the AmsterdamDrone Week? What are the key topics that will be discussed?

In past years, ADW offered a unique view into the thinking and long term planning of EASA regulators.  This year, for the first time, ADW offers a space for global discussions on Air Mobility, a pressing topic around the world.

“Many of the rules and regulations for the European framework were succesfully implemented in part because of the collaboration stimulated here at ADW. This year, for the first time ever, we’re very proud to be hosting the Global Air Mobility Conference together with ICAO, EASA, FAA and the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management,” Nynke said.

“This Conference will have a global scope and will address the need for a global regulatory framework for Air Mobility. During this conference, top level executives of ICAO, EASA and FAA will be present, together with decision makers from the top industry participants including Boeing, Volocopter, IATA, CANSO, GUTMA, World Food Programme, and more. This congress is a step towards the AAM Symposium of ICAO in September this year.”

How does the Amsterdam Drone Week industry conference contribute to the advancement of drone technology and its applications in various industries?

Nynke said that the global nature of ADW combined with a program that gathers the entire uncrewed ecosystem make Amsterdam Drone Week pivotal in the development of the industry.  “During ADW the world-wide ecosystem on drones and Air Mobility gather, from regulator, authority to OEM, operators, and end-users,” said Nynke.  “This gathering is essential to implement drone technology in various industries; as the drone technology needs a reliable digital infrastructure, a Common Information System (CIS), digital traffic control but also local policies for droneports and urban planning.”

“There is also a big need for global standardization, harmonization, and certification of this new technology.  The role of ADW is not only to show how far the technology is, but also to show how what this technology brings to societies, and to make it happen.”

What are the opportunities for businesses and individuals to engage and network during the Amsterdam Drone Weekindustry conference?

One of the reasons that Amsterdam Drone Week has become so critical for drone industry players is because it presents a unique opportunity to network – for business and for pleasure.  With plenty of space to share a meal, a coffee, or a glass of wine with colleagues, the city of Amsterdam and the RAI center itself offer a truly unique experience for collaboration.

“During Amsterdam Drone Week, we welcome all the key players in the industry. This is the must attent event to meet your potential clients and business partners or have a good conversation with the regulators, authorities or someone from an industry you maybe wouldn’t have thought about.”

Looking ahead, what are some of the trends or advancements in drone technology that attendees can expect to learn about at the Amsterdam Drone Week industry conference? 

Amsterdam Drone Week is the place to explore big ideas: multi-modal transportation networks, IoT applications, AI-powered robotics – and how this all benefits communities on the ground.  This year, ADW will facilitate new discussions about integrating urban air mobility solutions.

“New this year, is that the drone week is co-located to the world’s largest smart mobility event, Intertraffic Amsterdam,”said Nynke. “We’re bringing the third dimension to mobility. We will show and discuss how to integrate Air Mobility in cities and regions, from urban planning to societal acceptance.”

“The City of Amsterdam will share her vision on the Future of Mobility and drones, including their awareness campaign for no-fly zones against the unauthorized drone flights in the CTR. The latest technology will be shared on AI integration and drone capabilities, the vision of mobile network operators on the implementation of a global drone network, the learnings from flying the world first full electric autonomous air vehicle, and ensuring drone security through cybersecurity considerations.”

Amsterdam Drone Week is one of the conferences that we can’t miss.  The drone and UAM industries are still in their nascent stage, when global collaboration and the sharing of ideas and information are most critical to its success.  Register now to be part of the conversation.

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