CNN, Chevron Energy, DPR Construction and PG&E Join Advisory Board to Assist with Development of Conference Program

SAN JOSE, Calif. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — February 12, 2015 — Drone World Expo is excited to announce that the development of the 2015 conference program is underway. The event is accepting session submissions from speakers with exciting ideas that will inspire, surprise and inform buyers of companies who are looking for commercial applications of drones in such industries as photography, videography, precision agriculture, security and public safety, mapping and surveying, inspections, research and conservation, resource extraction, communications, parcel delivery and more. Drone World Expo will be held November 17-18, 2015, at the San Jose, CA Convention Center.

“We are creating the defining event for the commercial applications of UAS Technology and we are looking for thought leaders, industry experts and end-users to gather at Drone World Expo, taking place in the heart of Silicon Valley, to present real-world solutions to business challenges,” said Joel Davis, CEO, JD Events, producers of the show. “We have an extraordinary group of industry leaders who have joined our advisory board, including several users of the technology, to help us review speaker submissions and develop the overall structure of the program.” Proposals must contain factual, educational content and avoid sales pitches. To submit a proposal, click here.

The conference program will be developed with the assistance of a dynamic advisory board representing all facets of the industry. Several new industry leaders recently joined the growing board, including:

• Gregory Agvent, Senior Director, News Operations, CNN
• Michael Drobac, Executive Director, Small UAV Coalition
• Jonathan Evans, CEO, SkyWard
• Colin Guinn, CRO, 3D Robotics
• Max Motschwiller, Partner, Meritech Capital
• John Palatiello, Executive Director, MAPPS
• Andreas Raptopoulos, CEO, Matternet
• Chidambaram Somu, Virtual Construction Manager, DPR Construction
• Andrea Steffke, Remote Sensing Scientist, Chevron Energy Technology Company
• Eric Woodyard, Tech, Innovation and Continuous Improvement Program Manager, PG&E

These new board members join Gretchen West, Vice President of Business Development and Regulatory Affairs, DroneDeploy; Jesse Kallman, Global Business Development & Regulatory Affairs, Airware; Lisa Ellman, Counsel, McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP; Eric Cheng, Director of Aerial Imaging, DJI; John "JC" Coffey, Cherokee Nation Company supporting NOAA UAS Program Office; Matt Parker, UAS Operations Director, Precision Integrated Programs; Tony Carmean, CMO & Founding Partner, Aerial MOB, LLC and Robert Blair, Farmer, Agriculture UAV Expert.

The advisory board will help to shape a two-day conference that will feature sessions and case studies addressing data collection and processing, sensors, piloting and safety management, FAA updates, certification standards, and commercial strategies and will offer informative sessions on the impact drones are having on Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Big Data and the Internet of Things (IoT).

Here is what a few members of the advisory board had to say about Drone World Expo.

“Integration of commercial UAS into the National airspace presents a unique set of challenges for the industry, the regulatory agencies and the potential end users. As a news agency we are particularly excited about the advantages that UAS can bring to our storytelling – adding greater context and understanding for our news consumers. Drone World Expo provides the forum for all interested to collaborate and educate as we work towards a safe, efficient UAS “eco-system,” said Gregory Agvent, Senior Director, News Operations, CNN.

“Drones can be programmed to transport materials, set building components etc. which paves the way to fully/partially automated construction. These disruptive technologies are going to change the way we build and operate in the future. We are excited to learn from end-users in other commercial markets and to team up with technology providers and industry leaders to push the envelope in this area,” said Chidambaram Somu, Virtual Construction Manager, DPR Construction.

"I am excited to see an event that focuses on true commercial applications and provides a collaborative forum to discuss the current challenges of the market," said Jesse Kallman, Head of Business Development and Regulatory Affairs, Airware.

Matt Parker, UAS Operations Director, Precision Integrated Programs, added, “As true aviation experts we are excited to see the Drone World Expo bring together companies with the requisite level of experience for positive UAS influence on a national and global scale. We’re excited to collaborate to move the industry forward to maximize the utility of the resources available to us and to build on existing engineering capabilities and the broad body of knowledge possessed by ourselves and our peers.”

About Drone World Expo

Drone World Expo, the Premier event for Commercial Drone technologies and applications, will take place November 17-18, 2015 at the San Jose Convention Center. For more information, visit www.droneworldexpo.com. The event is produced by JD Events, dedicated to the creation of targeted and innovative industry-leading events that deliver results. The company brings together highly qualified buying audiences, education-rich content and high-level networking opportunities -- all geared toward increasing business transactions in the markets it serves. Visit www.jdevents.com for more information.

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For Drone World Expo
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