The use of drones in infrastructure and transportation projects is widespread, and many industry professionals are looking for new and better ways to use uncrewed systems to derive greater efficiency, safety, and value.

To help, Commercial UAV Expo is offering a set of sessions aimed squarely at infrastructure and transportation professionals. Whether your work involves roads and bridges, public transportation, utilities, seaports, or railroads, sessions in our Infrastructure & Transportation track will help you better understand government regulations, perform inspections, enhance worker and public safety, and develop effective workflows.

Here's a look at a few questions that will be answered at these dynamic and comprehensive sessions:

1. How can I keep my drone-based infrastructure and transportation projects in compliance with laws and regulations?

To effectively integrate drones into your work, you must comply with local, state, and national regulations. Our Navigating Regulation in Infrastructure Projects session will address key issues around compliance and offer advice on navigating the constantly changing regulatory environment. Moderated by Geo Week News’s Matt Collins, this session will feature industry leaders from Anzen Unmanned, Ericsson, Accipiter Radar Technologies, Censys Technologies, Skydio, Caltrans, and NJ TRANSIT who will offer insights and advice based on their vast experience in bringing their drone-based transportation and infrastructure projects in line with rules and regulations.

2. What are the components of an effective drone-based infrastructure project?

Commercial UAV Expo offers two sessions that will examine ways to create more effective drone-based infrastructure operations. In Tools of the Trade: Construction and Infrastructure, professionals from Wingtra, San Diego Gas & Electric, and DJI will share stories about how their products and services are changing the way we use drones construction and infrastructure. Real-world examples and practical advice on developing drone-based infrastructure programs will be presented at Case Studies in Infrastructure and Transportation. Moderated by Carla Lauter, Commercial UAV Expo Content Manager, this session will feature panelists from City of Houston, HDR, Alynix, and TREKK Design Group, who will present actual case studies that demonstrate how best to leverage UAVs in infrastructure development and repair work.

3. How can I add new technologies and systems to my drone-based infrastructure inspection operations?

Integrating AI into data processing and workflows, adopting sophisticated data capture and 3D modeling, and other innovative approaches offer the promise of more accurate and valuable inspections. At the Commercial UAV Expo session Advancing Critical Infrastructure Inspections session, experts from Flytbase, gNext Labs, the “Do You Know Drones?” podcast, Stantec, Skydio, and Raptor Maps will present best practices and real-world perspectives on drone-based infrastructure inspections.

4. How can I use drones to improve maintenance workflows? 

During the Path to Condition-Based Maintenance via Drone Solutions session, Christina Park from Skydio and Joshua Fredriksson from Pacific Gas and Electric Company will discuss the ways utilities, construction, and transportation organizations can overcome problems such as budget and resource constraints, aging infrastructure, regulatory compliance, climate change, and digital transformation to improve their maintenance operations. These experts will draw on their experiences to show how their organizations implemented drone-based programs, scaled those programs, and improved their approach to maintenance.

5. Can uncrewed systems make my infrastructure and transportation projects safer?

Improved safety is one the most important benefits of integrating uncrewed systems into infrastructure and transportation work. To learn how drones enhance public and worker safety and find ways to enjoy these benefits at your organization, attend Beyond the Bottom Line: Focus on Safety. Moderator by Matt Clark, Counsel at Hogan Lovells, will be joined by panelists Christian Stallings from BAAM.Tech and The MITRE Corporation’s Michelle Duquette to explore the potential of drones in improving safety, sustainability, and overall project outcomes. Learn how drones can reduce the need for workers to enter hazardous environments and how uncrewed systems present new opportunities for more regular maintenance and inspections of your critical assets.