Aerial Cities: The VIP Event Bringing Together European Cities, Aviation Authorities, and Drone Company Executives

Forge European Aviation Partnerships at Exclusive “Aerial Cities” Event

By: Dawn Zoldi (Colonel, USAF Ret.) 

Earlier this month, Bern-Switzerland based DroneTalks Academy announced its inaugural invitation-only Aerial Cities event. DroneTalks co-founders and event organizers, Eszter Kovacs and Lorenzo Murzilli, slated this two-day conference to take place on Thursday and Friday, November 17th and 18th at the Stufenbau Eventlocation in Bern.

The event aims to connect relevant decision makers at the highest levels of European city governments and civil aviation authorities (CAA) with C-Suite level advanced air mobility (AAM) and drone company executives.

The program will focus on critical technologies and policies that will enable scaling urban air mobility and advanced air operations, including drone deliveries, across the continent.

The format includes keynotes, panels, roundtable discussions, networking receptions and an awards ceremony for the DroneTalks CEO of the Year 2022.

Co-organizer Murzilli, a graduated aerospace engineer who leads one of the key Joint Authorities for Rulemaking on Unmanned Systems (JARUS) working groups, explained his and Kovacs’ motivation to create the event. “Understanding and social acceptance is vital for AAM and drone industries to drive revenue,” he said. “Aerial Cities seeks to promote conversations between key stakeholders to understand each other’s capabilities and foster a collaborative environment for the development of the air component of smart cities.”

Kovacs, a graduated safety engineer, certificated remote pilot and board member of the Swiss Drone Industry Association, Commercial UAV and AUVSI Xponential added, “We want to educate the right people with the information they need to realistically plan for the future.” She continued, “We plan to bring them all to the table to establish strong partnerships to move the European AAM and drone industry forward.”

Kovacs believes city planners and aviation authorities hold the keys to unlocking future aerial cities. Drone and AAM flights will occur between cities, within a city or from a city to an island. She said this is why she and Murzilli shaped this event around cities and the companies who will work with them.

So far, the event’s line up includes representatives from the cities of Paris, London and Bern. The European Commission Smart City Initiative has also plugged in. Kovacs expects that ambassadors from some of its 45 member cities will also participate.

The event is free, but capped at 150 persons. It has two paths to admission. A company representative may be recommended by one of the event’s Advisory Board, CAA or city government members.

The event’s prestigious and diverse Advisory Board includes: Bobby Healy (Ireland – Manna Drone Delivery), David Hyde (U.S. – World Economic Forum), Marcel Kagi (Switzerland – Swiss FOCA), Glen Lynch (Canada – Volatus Aerospace), Vassilis Agouridas (Germany  – EU Smart Cities), Gregory Walden (U.S. – Dentons Global Advisors), Juliana Carolina Krialy Thomaz Rodrigues (Netherlands – Eve UAM), Mareike Noack (Germany – Henkel), Peter Kistler (Switzerland – Canton of Bern) and Dr. Cristoph Selig (Germany – Unisphere).

If not directly recommended, a company’s representatives may gain admission by supporting the event as an Event Partner, Gold or Silver sponsor.

Multiple sponsors and partners have already signed on to support the event. In addition to most Advisory Board members’ organizations, the BCN Drone Center, Airborne RF, Commercial UAV News and the Switzerland Global Enterprise will particpate.

Kovacs emphasized, “This is a European event. Only those with serious interest in shaping the future of aerial operations across Europe need apply. This is where important connections for the future of our aerial cities will start.”

To learn more about attending this premier European educational and networking event, go to https://dronetalks.online/academy/aerial-cities/.

Companies interested in supporting the event may also contact Kovacs at eszter.kovacs@dronetalks.online.

Read more about Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and Urban Air Mobility:

• Advanced Air Mobility in Southern California: Wisk Aero Partners with Long Beach
• Publicly Traded Advanced Air Mobility Companies: Lilium, Archer Join Joby, Ehang
• Advanced Air Mobility: Air Taxis, Cargo Shuttles, and More Predicted to Create More than 280,000 Jobs
• Urban Air Mobility Could Generate Billions for Cities Around the World: Volocopter in Singapore
• From Mini Drone to Urban Air Mobility: NANCo Aero Flying Cars

Dawn M.K. Zoldi (Colonel, USAF, Retired) is a licensed attorney with 28 years of combined active duty military and federal civil service to the U.S. Air Force. She is the CEO & Founder of P3 Tech Consulting and an internationally recognized expert on uncrewed  aircraft system law and policy. Zoldi contributes to several magazines and hosts popular tech podcasts. Zoldi is also an Adjunct Professor for two universities, at the undergraduate and graduate levels. In 2022, she received the Airwards People’s Choice Industry Impactor Award, was recognized as one of the Top Women to Follow on LinkedIn and listed in the eVTOL Insights 2022 PowerBook. For more information, follow her on social media and visit her website at: https://www.p3techconsulting.com.