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2021 Agenda


Wednesday, October 13

Sessions Sponsored By
   
8:15 am - 8:45 am Demonstration of the M-ACE (Mobile, Acquisition, Cueing and Effector System)
  • Robert Menti, Business Development, Armament Systems, Northrop Grumman Corporation
8:30 am - 9:30 am Breakfast - Expo Time
8:30 am - 6:30 pm Expo Open
9:00 am - 9:05 am Opening Remarks and Welcome
  • John Nelson, VP Operations, Sales & Marketing, BBI International
9:05 am – 9:35 am Address by Senator John Hoeven
  • Senator John Hoeven, U.S. Senate
  • George Rumford, Director, Test Resource Management Center
9:35 am – 10:00 am Setting Conditions for the Future
  • Colonel Jeremy A. Fields, Vice Commander, 319th Reconnaissance Wing, Grand Forks AFB
10:00 am – 10:15 am Autonomous Air Systems: Critical Today, Indispensable Tomorrow
  • Jane Bishop, Sector Vice President & General Manager, Global Surveillance, Northrop Grumman Corporation
10:15 am – 11:00 am Counter UAS: The Future of Drone Security and Defense
  • Moderator: Robert Menti, Business Development, Armament Systems, Northrop Grumman Corporation
  • Aaron Pierce, CEO, Pierce Aerospace
  • Jeffrey Starr, CMO, D-Fend Solutions
  • Mary-Lou Smulders, CMO, Dedrone
11:00 am – 12:00 pm One Year Later: An Update on North Dakota’s Statewide BVLOS Network, VANTIS
  • Moderator: Lt. Governor Brent Sanford, State of North Dakota
  • Chris Theisen, Director of Research & Development, VANTIS and Northern Plains UAS Test Site
  • Bill Panos, Director, North Dakota Department of Transportation
  • Frank Matus, Director, ATC and Digital Aviation Solutions - Americas, Thales
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm Lunch - Expo Time
Menu: Taco Bar
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm Innovation Stage Presentations
  • Moderators: Renee Shelton, President, AUVSI Great Plains Chapter and Nathan Iseminger, UAS Sector Developer, Grand Forks Region Economic Development Corporation
  • Jon Gaster, First-i
  • Ned Tabat
    High Throughput Crop Moisture Measurement Using Small UAS
  • Keith Mottas, Atlantic Drone Pros
    Human/Machine Interface with Artificial Intelligence in Control
  • Paul Stevens, CTO, StratoSolutions, Inc.
    Stratospheric Platforms - Delivering Targeted Meteorological Observations Using Micro-Dropsondes
    • 1:30 pm – 2:15 pm Remote ID: Here’s What You Need to Know
    • Moderator: Matt Dunlevy, Founder, SkySkopes
    • Aaron Pierce, CEO, Pierce Aerospace
    • Mary-Lou Smulders, CMO, Dedrone
    • Ryan Moriearty, Assistant Chief Pilot, Isight Drone Services, LLC
    2:15 pm – 3:00 pm Risk Mitigation: Advice from Lawyers & Insurers
    • Moderator: Patrick Byrnes, Partner, Locke Lord LLP
    • Stacey Mesteth, Insurance & Risk Advisor, Vaaler Insurance, a Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC Company
    • Matthew Kalas, Senior Counsel, Locke Lord LLP
    3:00 pm - 3:30 pm Ice Cream Social - Expo Time
    Menu: Ice Cream bars
    3:10 pm – 3:25 pm Innovation Stage: Building a Smart Node Centric Autonomous Infrastructure Designed to Validate, Protect and Monetize the Data
  • Mike DiCosola, CEO, Drone Industry Systems Corp.
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    3:30 pm - 4:15 pm Weather Predictions: Micro Weather Data’s Effect on BVLOS Operations
    • Moderator: Nathan Iseminger, UAS Sector Developer, Grand Forks Region Economic Development Corporation
    • Don Berchoff, CEO, TruWeather Solutions
    • William Cromarty, Account Executive, Spire Global
    4:15 pm - 5:00 pm Drone Delivery: Revolutionizing and Innovating Traditional Logistic Solutions
    • Moderator: Dawn Zoldi, Founder & CEO, P3 Tech Consulting
    • Charles Byers, CTO, Valqari, LLC
    • Steve "Jake" Jacobson, CEO, Autonodyne
    • Edward Fu, Director, Global Policy Development & Policy Counsel, Zipline
    5:00 pm - 6:30 pm Networking Reception - Expo Time
    Menu: Chicken Tenders, BBQ Meatballs, Spinach Dip, Bacon-Pineapple Fingers, Veggie Crudité
    5:30 pm – 5:45 pm Innovation Stage: How the Progression of Detect and Avoid Technologies will meet the Evolving UAS Market Requirements
  • Tom Furey, CEO, Sagetech Avionics
    		•
    6:00 pm – 6:15 pm Innovation Stage: Using Power Generation Systems to Enable Hybrid Ready™ Modes
  • Nabeel Shirazee, Global CTO & MD, ePropelled
    		•
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    Thursday, October 14

    Sessions Sponsored By
       
    7:30 am - 8:30 am Sunrise and Space Talk Breakfast
    • Moderator:Terri Zimmerman, CEO, Botlink
    • President Andrew Armacost, University of North Dakota
    • Dean Robert Kraus,School of Aerospace Sciences, University of North Dakota
    • Dean Brian Tande, College of Engineering & Mines, University of North Dakota
    • Dean Brad Rundquist, College of Arts & Sciences, University of North Dakota
    • Mark Askelson, Research Institute for Autonomous Systems (RIAS) Executive Director and Associate Dean for Research, School of Aerospace Sciences, University of North Dakota
    • William Cromarty, Account Executive, Spire Global
    7:30 am - 9:00 am Breakfast - Expo Time
    Menu: Scrambled Eggs, Caramel Rolls, Fruit, Breakfast Bread
    7:30 am - 3:30 pm Expo Open
    8:30 am – 8:45 am Innovation Stage: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence Technologies to Facilitate the Inspection of Composite Parts on Aircraft Structures
  • Hobivola A. Rabearivelo, BI Expertise
    		•
    9:00 am - 9:05 am Opening Remarks
    • John Nelson, VP Operations, Marketing & Sales, BBI International
    9:05 am - 9:50 am How to Take Your “Good Idea” to a Program of Record
    • Senator Kevin Cramer, U.S. Senate
    • Rear Admiral Lorin Selby, Chief of Naval Research, Office of Naval Research
    9:50 am - 10:10 am Thinking Outside the Atmosphere
    • Andrew Armacost, President, University of North Dakota
    10:10 am - 10:30 am Results from Real BVLOS Flights and Next Steps in Development of Innovative Detect-and-Avoid for BVLOS UAS Flight
    • Kraettli Epperson, CEO, Vigilant Aerospace Systems, Inc.
    10:30 am - 11:00 am For Drones to Work in the Air; Get Buy-In on the Ground
    • Moderator: Trevor Woods, UAS Safety Director, Northern Plains UAS Test Site
    • Erin Roesler, UAS Standards & Policy Manager, Northern Plains UAS Test Site
    • Terri Zimmerman, CEO, Botlink
    • Shawn Bullard, CEO, Duetto Group LLC
    11:00 am - 11:20 am The Social Benefits of UAS-Powered Instant Logistics
    • Anne Hilby, SVP of External Affairs, Zipline
    11:20 am - 11:40 am SkyLine Managed C2 Infrastructure for BVLOS Operations
    • Christian Ramsey, uAvionix
    11:40 am - 12:00 pm NASA ASRS For Drone Pilots!
    • Greg Deeds, UAST/Technology Exploration Group
    11:30 am - 1:00 pm Lunch - Expo Time
    Menu: Deli Sandwich Buffet
    12:00 pm - 2:00 pm Accelerate to Industry: A Discussion of Workforce Opportunities and Higher Education in the UAS Sector
    Read Description
    • Introduction: Andrew Armacost, President, University of North Dakota
    • Moderator: Chris Nelson, UND Graduate Studies
    • Mark Hagerott, Ph.D, Chancellor, North Dakota University System
    • Matt Dunlevy, CEO, SkySkopes
    • Nick Zaccardi, Chief Technical Officer, Airtonomy
    • Dr. William Aderholdt, Grand Farm Program Manager, Emerging Prairie
    • Frank Matus, Director, ATC and Digital Aviation Solutions – Americas, Thales
    • Mark Askelson, Executive Director, UND RIAS
    • Nicholas Flom, Executive Director, Northern Plains UAS Test Site
    • Dean Gorder, Director, General Atomics
    • Michael Billups, Lead Systems Engineer, Northrop Grumman Corporation
    2:00 pm - 2:30 pm Refreshment Break - Expo Time
    Menu: Cookies
    2:30 pm - 2:55 pm What’s That on the Horizon that I See – or Don’t See?
    • Steve Kocsis, Cambria County
    2:55 pm - 3:20 pm Determining the Economic Impact of Heat Loss in Buildings with UAS and Deep Learning
    • Karthik Balaji, Product Development Lead, Tau Drones
    3:30 pm Session Conclude
    4:00 pm - 6:00 pm Tour & Networking Reception at UND’s State of Art UAS/Commercial Aviation ATC Programs
    Free - Registered attendees only
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