14 Featured Speakers and Program Announced for Aerial Cities 2024 in London

This November 13-14, London will host the exclusive Aerial Cities 2024 conference to enable the integration of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and drone technologies into our city landscapes. This exclusive, invitation-only event will catalyse collaboration and innovation, bringing together leaders from the AAM and drone sectors, regulatory bodies, service users, and urban planning communities to aim for new heights in urban environments.

The event aims to bring all stakeholders and executives under one roof to connect, network, and discuss how to adapt the current infrastructure for future wide-scale use of drones. With two keynotes, several C-Suite-level panels, a dinner with the opportunity to network, and allocated time to harness connections, Aerial Cities 2024 is the place to experience cross-functional collaboration as an executive-only event. This year’s panellists will focus on revenue generation for the drone and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) industries. These executives and leaders coming together will allow for conversations about investment, finance, and what revenue can be made within the industry. Revenue generation and profitability are crucial for innovative sectors like aerospace, particularly in the rapidly evolving field of drones. This is why Aerial Cities 2024’s primary focus is on how drone and AAM companies can be profitable and how regulation enables safety and sustainable businesses.

For drone manufacturers and service providers, strong financial performance enables sustained investment in research and development, facilitating technological advancements, safety, and efficiency. A profitable drone sector attracts investors and startups, fostering a competitive landscape that drives innovation in delivery, surveillance, and agriculture applications.

Additionally, profitability allows companies to scale operations, expand their market reach, and adapt to regulatory changes, ensuring they remain at the forefront of this transformative industry.

Last year in Bern, Switzerland, Aerial Cities 2023 marked a crucial moment in the industry. Our event had 130 executives, 5+ investors, more than 30 AAM and drone companies, 8 CAAs, 20+ cities and governments, and over 20 first responders, telecom, and mobility companies in attendance worldwide. Check out our 2023 highlights on our YouTube channel! 

Here is the conference schedule for this year’s event: 

Day 1: 

13:00-14:00 Drinks and Arrivals 

14:00-14:30 Opening keynote 

14:30-15:00 Emerging trends and the evolving landscape of the aerial cities 

15:00-15:45 Trends and opportunities: An industry perspective on the past successes and challenges ahead 

15:45-16:15 Break 

16:15-17:00 Investor views on scaling businesses

17:00-17:45 Funding a scalable business model 

17:45-18:30 eVTOL and AAM . A step closer to reality? 

18:30-19:00 Slidoo questions 

19:00-23:30 Gala dinner (speakers, sponsors, and government representatives only)

 

Day 2: 

09:30-10:00 Opening keynote 

10:00-11:00 Airspace modernisation and the governance layers challenge: How are state, regional and local authorities winning the coordination challenge 

11:00-11:40 Enabling BVLOS operations at scale: How do we get the authorities on board? 

11:40-12:30 Conversation with drone service users: The needs of ports - Can we export their lessons to entire cities? 

12:30-14:00 Lunch 

14:00-15:00 Successful proof of concepts are challenging to scale: An insider perspective 

15:00-15:30 Break 

15:30-16:15 Adoption of drone technology, BVLOS in focus - What are the users’ needs? 

16:15-17:00 A perspective on smart cities 

17:00-17:30 The path to SAIL IV operations: The ultimate approval for aerial cities

17:30-18:00 Closing keynote 

Let us introduce you to our fourteen speakers: 

1. Ewa Gowers, Head of SARG Operations and Programmes at Civil Aviation Authority
2. Marielies Becker, Senior Manager for Innovation Aerospace at Berlin Partner 
3. Sunil Budhdeo, Transport Innovation Manager at Coventry City Council 
4. David F. Stepanek, Executive Vice President and Chief Transformation Officer at Bristow Group 
5. Lorenzo Murzilli, Founder and CEO at Murzilli Consulting 
6. James McClearen, CTO at blueflite
7. Christoph Selig, Chief Commercial Officer and Co-Founder at Unisphere 
8. Eric Brock, Founder and CEO at Ondas Holdings 
9. Barbara Pareglio, Senior Technical Director and Smart Mobility Lead at GSMA
10. Matthias Gronstedt, Managing Director at HHLA Sky 
11. Susan Roberts, Vice President at American Robotics
12. Nichola Bates, Managing Partner at Aerospace Xelerated
13. Dario Di Martino, Founder and CEO at DMD Solutions 
14. Robin Cooper, Partner at Baringa 

Ewa Gowers, Head of SARG Operations and Programmes at the UK Civil Aviation Authority

Ewa Gowers, Head of SARG Operations and Programmes at the UK CAA, is currently playing a massive role in the UK’s developments in the aviation industry. Ewa’s role emphasises the importance of regulatory frameworks and safety standards. 

Her leadership is crucial in steering the UK’s advancements in the aviation industry, particularly in the evolving field of Urban Air Mobility (UAM). These advancements are essential in ensuring the safe and efficient integration of new technologies and innovations within urban airspaces. Ewa’s pivotal role in the UK CAA gives an exclusive perspective on the evolving landscape of aerial cities worldwide, a perfect fit for our panel ‘Emerging trends and the evolving landscape of the aerial cities’. 

Marielies Becker, Senior Manager for Innovation Aerospace at Berlin Partner for Business and Technology

Marielies Becker, Senior Manager for Innovation Aerospace at Berlin Partner for Business and Technology, is a seasoned technology professional based in Berlin, Germany. 

From an engineering background, Marielies has been involved in numerous technology projects and roles that have enabled technology and aerospace innovation. She is also a Board Member of the Berlin Brandenburg Aerospace Alliance. Her knowledge and expertise in this sphere make Marielies a fantastic addition to our first panel of day two, ‘Airspace modernisation and the governance layers challenge: How are state, regional and local authorities winning the coordination challenge?’. 

Sunil Budhdeo, Transport Innovation Manager at Coventry City Council 

Sunil Budhdeo, Transport Innovation Manager at Coventry City, has over 40 years of experience in the traffic, transport, and ITS Industry. Having helped to develop new transportation technology in Coventry, Sunil and his team are now venturing into the latest mode of transportation: electric-vertical Take-off and Landing (eVTOL).

Sunil joined Coventry City Council in 2010 as UTMC Manager, responsible for the UTMC Highway Network Development team and managing the response and monitoring services. He is the lead project manager for future flight projects such as Urban Airport (E-VTOL) and is currently engaged with BVLOS projects such as SKYWAY and Drone-Ready Cities.

Sunil is supporting the development of urban air mobility with UKRI, DfT, BSi Future Of Flight, ARPAS, Midlands Aerospace Alliance, BT, Emergency services, Drone Manufacturers, and drone operators to bring this mode of transport to market. His perspective on cities makes Sunil an essential addition to our speaker list for ‘Emerging trends and the evolving landscape of the aerial cities’. 

David F. Stepanek, Executive Vice President and Chief Transformation Officer at Bristow Group

David F. Stepanek became Bristow’s Executive Vice President and Chief Transformation Officer in March 2021. In this role, David is leading the transformation of Bristow by introducing the next generation of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) aircraft and expanding Bristow’s core business in new regions.  

David previously served as Bristow’s Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer. Before joining Bristow, David held positions within PHI, Inc., including President of PHI’s Energy business and PHI Americas. He has held board positions with Cougar Helicopters and HeliOffshore and spent twenty years at Sikorsky Aircraft in various leadership positions, including technical support, customer service, and commercial sales. David is a United States Marine Corps veteran and a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society.

Lorenzo Murzilli, Founder & CEO of Murzilli Consulting 

Lorenzo is a graduated aerospace engineer, innovation manager, and specialist in aviation, system safety, and drones. He is the Founder and CEO of Murzilli Consulting, a digital consulting agency focused on aviation. As leader of the Joint Authorities for Rulemaking on Unmanned Systems WG-6, he oversees the work of more than 100 professionals in several task forces, developing recommendations for the safety and risk management of drone operations worldwide.

He has been a guest lecturer at the Zürich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) and the Xihua University. Previously with Leonardo, Pilatus Aircraft, and the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation, Lorenzo has developed a striking ability to boost innovation in safety-critical environments. Lorenzo enjoys exploring the intersection of safety and disruptive technologies that can advance the human race. 

James McClearen, CTO at blueflite 

James is the CTO and President of blueflite, a company that solves challenges in the modern-day logistics industry. The company offers a unique platform featuring a delivery drone, enabling significantly faster deliveries at a much lower cost than conventional transport. The blueflite logistics solution allows for integration into an all-automated supply chain for large-scale, high-speed deliveries. 

Before becoming a co-founder of blueflite, James worked at Toyota, Japan, and led large engineering teams in the special projects division at AVL. He is a passionate engineer and technologist with over two decades of experience in the automotive and defence industries. He is a valued asset at our event and for our panel ‘Successful proof of concepts are challenging to scale: An insider perspective’. 

Christoph Selig, Chief Commercial Officer and Co-Founder at Unisphere 

Christoph is co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Unisphere, a German deep-tech company developing digital twin solutions for automated drone flights and vertiport planning.

He holds a PhD in Innovation Management and has spent most of his career in innovation and entrepreneurship. As a researcher, he founded the local academic startup initiative. As a speaker this year, Christoph will showcase his extensive experience developing innovation strategies and consulting with established companies and startups. Watch a recent interview we had with Christoph here!

Eric Brock, Founder and CEO at Ondas Holdings

Eric Brock is the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Ondas Holdings, a leading provider of private wireless connectivity and autonomous drone technology platforms and services for government and industrial markets. He is an entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience in global banking and investing, including his leadership role at Ondas. 

At Ondas, Eric directs the growth plans for its two principal business units: Ondas Autonomous Systems (OAS), a leading provider of commercial drone solutions through wholly-owned subsidiaries American Robotics, Inc. and Airobotics LTD, and Ondas Networks Inc, a leading provider of software-based, private wireless data networks that enable mission-critical, wide-area field operations for critical infrastructure markets.

Before founding Ondas, Eric was a Partner and Portfolio Manager with Clough Capital Partners, a Boston-based investment firm he co-founded in 2000. He is also a member of the Commercial Drone Alliance Board of Directors. Eric’s expertise in the financial and drone worlds gives him a unique perspective, giving us a deeper insight into revenue generation at this year’s Aerial Cities. See a previous interview between Eric and our CEO and Co-founder, Eszter Kovacs, here! 

Barbara Pareglio, Senior Technical Director, Smart Mobility Lead at GSMA 

Since 2014, Barbara has been the technical lead for several focus areas within the GSMA, such as 5G, IoT, automotive, aviation and more. She is always on the lookout for new technologies and trends which can be used to influence and strive for innovation. 

Barbara leads several activities and communities with the GSMA members, particularly the GSMA Drone Interest Group and the Aerial Connectivity Joint Activity, to investigate and help the mobile industry create a trusted solution for commercial unmanned aircraft and beyond. She believes exploring the features and capabilities of 4G and 5G is necessary for aviation. 

Matthias Gronstedt, Managing Director at HHLA Sky 

Matthias Gronstedt is a professional specialising in technical, business development and strategic sales. Thanks to his unique combination of in-depth knowledge in industrial automation, client-server architecture, and networking, he has spent his career serving the manufacturing and heavy industry sectors.

Matthias Gronstedt has been the Managing Director of HHLA Sky GmbH in Hamburg, Germany, since February 2020. The company develops hardware and software solutions to safely and securely control drones and AMRs (Autonomous Mobile Robots) for end-to-end mobility solutions.

In his current role at HHLA Sky GmbH, he continues to drive innovation and expand the reach of the aviation industry beyond current markets. Matthias has had a crucial role in broadening drone usage in Hamburg Port, and he continues to lead by example in developing this even further. He will be a key speaker for our panel ‘Conversation with drone service users: The needs of ports - Can we export their lessons to entire cities?’. Check out more from Matthias from last year’s Aerial Cities conference here. 

Susan Roberts, Vice President at American Robotics

Dr Susan Roberts is an aviation executive specialising in disruption and innovation to pursue new business strategies and models. She is the Vice President of Strategy and Business Development for Ondas Holdings. The Group seeks a future where assured, autonomous flight is supported by an ecosystem of technological, regulatory, and cooperative elements. Susan is passionate about challenging the assumptions that prevent the adoption of a new way of life enabled by new technologies, including robotics, artificial intelligence, and smart interoperability.

Susan currently serves as the Treasurer for the Association of Uncrewed Systems International (AUVSI) Board of Directors and recently accepted an invitation to work on their finance committee. Her experience with robotics, artificial intelligence, and autonomous flight makes her perspective extremely valuable as a speaker. 

Nichola Bates, Managing Partner at Aerospace Xelerated

Nichola joined Boeing following a decade-long career working with early-stage and scaling startups, where she championed the role of the SME to government, particularly in the security and resilience sector. Nichola brings extensive experience in international business development and fundraising for growth, from strategy to execution, with a vast network across governments and industries. 

Having also gained experience working inside one of the world’s largest corporations, she has become even more passionate about the benefits of collaboration between startups and corporations. As Managing Partner for Aerospace Xelerated, Nichola invests in and supports startups that have the potential to disrupt or transform the aerospace sector.

Dario Di Martino, Founder and CEO at DMD Solutions 

Dario Di Martino is the founder and Technical Director of DMD Solutions. DMD Solutions is an aerospace company specialising in RMS Engineering (Reliability, Availability, Maintainability and Safety). Dario is an engineer with a solid technical background and excellent management skills, which are reinforced by an MBA—Project Coordinator at PIMEC and EASA independent expert.

With 10 years of experience, he had the opportunity to analyse RAMS engineering from every angle. Specialities include developing outsourced projects, technical support, system safety, reliability, reliability investigation, risk assessment, Maintainability, Line Maintenance, FMEA/FMECA, SSA, Fault Tree, Reliability Prediction, FRACAS, MSG-3, RCM, Hazard Log, R&M Case Report, Airworthiness.

Robin Cooper, Partner at Baringa

Robin Cooper is a Partner at Baringa, a global partnership created to provide a radically different experience for clients and consultants. Baringa works with clients in every sector from hubs across Asia and the Pacific, Europe, and North America and is a current partner of our sister company, Murzilli Consulting. 

In the UK, Baringa’s clients include many central government departments, regulators, infrastructure operators, and technology providers – all of whom have a stake in transforming airspace in the UK.

Robin specialises in complex programme delivery in the public sector, combining project delivery, technology, and commercial and business cases to create new, enduring capabilities for clients. He has worked with several organisations to support the UK’s Flightpath to the Future programme, and we are incredibly pleased to have him as a speaker at this year’s Aerial Cities in London! 

Secure your sport at Aerial Cities 2024 today! 

Each speaker brings expertise and innovation, making DroneTalks’ Aerial Cities 2024 a crucial event in the evolution of Urban Air Mobility. We greatly appreciate the efforts of our sponsors and partners, who have allowed us to make this event happen!

This event is not to be missed if you are a C-level executive, regulator, or government employee! Make sure to secure your place in London this November to benefit from networking and user insights, listen to industry leaders discuss revenue generation, and see what lies ahead in the drone industry! Mark your calendars for 13-14 November 2024 and be part of the movement that’s setting the course for the future of our cities.