I’ve been attending Commercial UAV Expo year after year for plenty of reasons, but the networking is at the top of my list. Sure, I love wandering the Expo hall to see the latest drones, gadgets, and technology, but some of the most valuable takeaways happen in the conference rooms and conversations between sessions.
The hands-on educational tracks have become more frequent, offering opportunities to learn best practices directly from experienced professionals. And peer-to-peer networking is underrated. UAV Expo provides plenty of chances to connect with people who understand the industry, share your interests, and may even become future collaborators.
This year, I’m especially excited to see more women speakers and moderators represented throughout the conference schedule. With the conference just a few weeks away, Amelia Dronehart is excited to have a presence. Find us at the Women and Drones booth (#340) and in the corner occupied by Sundance Media Group (booth #1852).
I’ve rounded up a list of impressive women speakers. I couldn’t get to them all, so please check the general Speakers page on the Expo’s site as I’m confident I’ve missed some good ones. Here’s a bonus: our board members have a special code that gets you a FREE pass to the Expo hall, a $150 value. That’s even better than the $100 discount you’ll see promoted elsewhere. Without this code, you’d still pay $50; with it, you don’t pay anything.
Droneharts are Sharing Their Collective Wisdom
Jennifer Pidgen and Renee Welch
Session: Pix4D For Construction, Inspection, Survey, and Cinema
Date: September 1, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM PDT
Location: Unity Boardroom Workshop Type: Full-day training course (additional registration required)
Synopsis: This comprehensive full-day workshop offers hands-on training with Pix4D software, covering the complete workflow from mission planning to final data processing. Participants will learn essential skills for capturing and processing drone imagery across multiple applications including construction, inspection, survey, and cinema production.
Key Topics Covered:
- Mission Planning & Execution: Creating nadir and oblique flight plans, marking GPS waypoints and boundaries, and managing flight parameters
- Data Processing in Pix4D Desktop: Loading photos and .las files, creating projects with high-precision settings, and managing project splitting/merging
- Output Generation: Producing 3D textures, point clouds, and cloud uploads
- Accuracy Enhancement: Importing ground control points and checkpoints for precision mapping
Important Notes:
- Participants must bring their own PC laptop (8GB RAM minimum, 32GB recommended)
- Training licenses will be provided
- This is an add-on workshop requiring separate registration through the general registration process
This intensive workshop is ideal for professionals looking to maximize their use of Pix4D software across various drone applications in the AEC and survey industries.
La’Quata Sumter
Title: Engineering Professor, CEO of Focusing On Me, Inc.
Session: Building the UAS Workforce: What Companies Need, What Schools Are Missing, and What Comes Next
Date/Time: September 3, 2026, 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM PDT
Location: Forum Theater
Synopsis: Dr. Sumter will join industry leaders to address the growing gap between the commercial drone industry’s needs and the available talent pipeline. The panel will discuss where companies are struggling to find qualified candidates, how higher education programs need to evolve, and what skills will be essential for the next generation of drone professionals in areas like data science, AI integration, and autonomous systems.
Desiree Ekstein
Title: FAA-certified remote pilot, FAASTeam Lead Representative, Founder of On The Go Video
Multiple Sessions:
- Roundtable Discussion – Workforce Development in the Commercial UAV Industry: Education, Hiring, and Professional Mentorship (Sep 2, 12:30-2:00 PM, Room 221-223): Discussing pathways to meaningful careers in commercial UAV
- Expert Fireside: What I Learned the Hard Way (Sep 2, 3:00-4:00 PM, Pilot Hub): Sharing mistakes and lessons from industry experts
- AI and the Commercial Drone Industry: What It Is Delivering Today and Where It Goes Next (Sep 2, 4:30-5:30 PM, Room 409-412): Examining where AI is delivering genuine operational value today
- Level Up Your Construction Site Safety Knowledge (Sep 3, 11:30 AM-12:30 PM, Pilot Hub): Covering safety best practices for construction site operations
Amy Wiegand
Title: Growth Leader, Founder of Earhart Alden & Associates, LLC
Sessions:
- Essentials for Revenue Growth in 2027 (Sep 2, 10:30-11:30 AM, Pilot Hub): Providing a playbook for sustainable revenue growth in the commercial drone sector
- Expert Fireside: What I Learned the Hard Way (Sep 2, 3:00-4:00 PM, Pilot Hub): Sharing mistakes and lessons learned from industry experts
Elsewhere
Ania Burgess
Title: Systems Engineer specializing in autonomous UAS
Session: Before You Scale: The Operational, Technical, and Strategic Realities of Building a Drone Program
Date/Time: September 3, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM PDT
Location: Room 405-408
Synopsis: Ania will present on treating utility drone-in-a-box deployment as a system-of-systems problem, focusing on how early site decisions can lock in hidden operational risk. She’ll introduce a structured approach to evaluating sites before equipment installation to prevent costly rework and ensure long-term scalability.
Bri O’Neill
Title: Systems Engineering and Cybersecurity Leader
Session: Building Drone Programs That Hold Up in the Real World of Energy and Utilities
Date/Time: September 2, 2026, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM PDT
Location: Room 405-408
Synopsis: Bri will present on approaches to UAS cybersecurity for utility applications, addressing how most programs stall not because aircraft can’t fly, but because supporting systems can’t pass internal security reviews. She’ll provide a practical program-level approach to UAS cybersecurity tailored specifically to utility environments.
Miriam McNabb
Title: Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE.com
Session: Seizing the Moment: Finding Opportunity in the Commercial Drone Market’s Gaps
Date/Time: September 3, 2026, 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM PDT
Location: Forum Theater
Synopsis: Miriam will examine the future direction of the commercial drone market and the significant gaps innovators need to fill. She’ll discuss how evolving regulations are reshaping risk, operations, and investment priorities across sectors, and provide a framework for understanding where currently available platforms leave “white space” in the stack.
Zaida McGhee
Title: Founding partner of Angulo McGhee, APLC, author of “Drone Law“
Sessions:
- Roundtable Discussion – Breaking Down Today’s Regulatory Landscape (Sep 2, 10:30 AM-12:00 PM, Room 221-223): Discussing the evolving rulebook for drone operations
- What Widespread BVLOS Will Practically Mean for Operators (Sep 3, 1:30-2:30 PM, Room 401-404): Examining how widespread BVLOS adoption will reshape operational realities
Elisa Marfise
Title: Booz Allen Hamilton Program Manager for NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System
Sessions:
- UAS Safety Reporting – Amplify Your Voice (Sep 2, 12:00-1:00 PM, Room 401-404): Discussing de-identified safety reports from drone pilots
- Roundtable Discussion – Best Practices for UAS Safety Management Systems (Sep 2, 2:30-4:00 PM, Room 221-223): Discussing SMS within the commercial drone space
Carla Lauter
Title: Senior Content Manager for Geo Week News
Multiple Sessions:
- Scaling Drones Across the DOT: Operational Lessons from the Field (Sep 2, 12:30-1:30 PM, Room 405-408): Operational lessons from the field
- How Leading AEC Firms Are Putting Drone Data to Work (Sep 2, 2:30-4:00 PM, Room 405-408): Embedding aerial data collection into core workflows
- What Drone Surveying Looks Like When All the Pieces Come Together (Sep 2, 4:30-5:30 PM, Room 405-408): Examining where the industry stands today and where it’s heading
- Where the Airspace Gets Complicated: Operating Professionally in Controlled and Urban Environments (Sep 3, 10:30-11:30 AM, Room 405-408): Operating professionally in controlled and urban environments
- Before You Scale: The Operational, Technical, and Strategic Realities of Building a Drone Program (Sep 3, 12:00-1:00 PM, Room 405-408): Building drone programs that scale reliably
Jennifer Lowthian
Title: Founder of the Drone Workforce Hub
Session: Building the UAS Workforce: What Companies Need, What Schools Are Missing, and What Comes Next
Date/Time: September 3, 2026, 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM PDT
Location: Forum Theater
Synopsis: Jennifer will join other industry leaders to address the workforce gap in the commercial drone industry, examining what skills will be essential for the next generation of drone professionals and how organizations and educators can start building toward that future now.
Stephanie Kleeberg
Title: Head of Sales and Customer Success at SkyWatch.AI
Session: What Every Drone Pilot Should Understand About Insurance
Date/Time: September 2, 2026, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM PDT
Location: Forum Theater
Synopsis: Stephanie will join other insurance professionals to reveal what coverage actually means in practice, where operators commonly leave themselves exposed, and why the specifics matter more than most pilots realize.
Final Thoughts
As mentioned before, not every woman was covered in this post, so please make sure to check out the UAV Expo website for a comprehensive list of speakers. And if you are up for an adventure of sorts, and are a night owl, this workshop might pique your interest. Either way, it should be an unforgettable few days.
