The Applications, Technologies, and Future of Drones

**This event will be held in person only.

The sky above us is changing. Once limited to lightweight consumer drones for photography and military drones with surveillance and attack capabilities, drones are now at the center of a technological revolution that promises to reshape logistics, construction, and urban mobility.

In this session, we will explore:

• The Drone Landscape Today: An overview of the current "Golden Age" of drones, from high-speed FPV racing and cinematic capture to the sophisticated drones used for agricultural monitoring and critical infrastructure inspection.
• The Core Technologies: How innovations in Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP), high-energy-density power systems, and AI-driven autonomous flight controllers are making flight safer, quieter, and more accessible than ever before.
• The Heavy-Lift Revolution: A look at how the next generation of industrial drones will perform physical labor—lifting thousands of pounds to repair power grids or deliver heavy cargo to remote areas.
• The Future of Human Flight: A discussion on the "de-verticalization" of the sky and the arrival of eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft that aim to turn every Austin commuter into a pilot.

Whether you are an aerospace enthusiast, a tech professional looking to contribute, a division  maker wondering about the uses of drones for your company or organization, or simply curious about the future of our city's skyline, join us to learn how these visionaries are building the aerial infrastructure of tomorrow.

Agenda

​5:15-6:15 p.m. In-person Networking

6:15-7:30 p.m. Presentation

7:30-7:45 p.m. Q&A

​8:00 p.m. Networking

Attendance Instructions

In-person

Join us at The Center for Government and Civic Service, ACC Rio Grande: Building 3000 where you will be checked in at the front. Parking map !

In-person attendees, please join us from 5:15 to 6:15 for networking and snacks. We look forward to chatting with you face-to-face!

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher The Austin Forum on Technology & Society