Drone Nerds Drives Innovation, Collaboration at Second-Annual ElevateUAV Conference

Florida’s Can’t Miss Drone Show

by DRONELIFE Contributor T. Seth Ford (Nashville, TN)

Images courtesy Seth Ford, used with permission.

Kovens Conference Center, Florida International University, November 12–14, 2024

Sounds of rotors, lots of them, echoed outside the Kovens Conference Center at Florida International University for the ElevateUAV 2024 Conference, hosted and organized by Ft. Lauderdale-based drone hardware distributor Drone Nerds. Demonstrations and vendors showcased the latest technologies within the commercial small uncrewed aircraft system (sUAS) industry. The incoming Atlantic breeze wasn’t enough to stifle the distinctive whirling sounds from quadcopters, fixed-wing, and electric vertical takeoff and land (eVTOL) aerial platforms. Attendees and stakeholders were thankful to meet as the conference was originally planned for October 10–12 but re-scheduled a month later due to Hurricane Milton making landfall across the Florida peninsula.

Nearly 400 stakeholders representing construction, government, agriculture, surveying, and supporting services met to engage and discuss relevant topics specific to endeavors involving uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAV) for commercial and public safety use. Technically speaking, UAVs are a subset of the larger group of uncrewed and autonomous systems (UAS), and it was evident at this year’s ElevateUAV2024 conference that UAV professionals are thriving amid ever-changing regulatory changes, weekly technological breakthroughs, and geopolitical pressures. Despite these challenges, the commercial sUAS industry is alive and well.

Vendors displayed emerging technologies as county and city law enforcement officers discussed customized solutions directly with programmers and system architects, forging new relationships between end users, original equipment manufacturers, and intermediaries. Drones as First Responders (DFR) programs, first launched in 2018 by the City of Chula Vista, CA, have become a “go-to” option for introducing AI-backed systems safely and iteratively into public safety programs. The program has grown by leaps and bounds with faster FAA response times, easier approval processes, and UAS service suppliers (USS) third-party integrations as core competencies within the UAS Traffic Management (UAM) system. Despite these critical advances, the widening political landscape between East and West may provide the harshest operational environment for drones and other UA systems to operate–not ground, air, or space.

Officers from the Hollywood Police Department, FL, and City of Casper, WY, along with dozens of first responders, were able to share their DFR program experiences with other public safety professionals, fostering positive exchanges and collaborations in an environment where everyone is considered a stakeholder within varying degrees of participation. “All but two vendors were able to return [due to availability issues] after we re-scheduled the conference for mid-November, and we’re so thankful for the dedication and support from everyone involved,” commented Drone Nerds’ Chief Revenue Officer Brad Smith. Attendance estimates were unknown after the conference was rescheduled due to Hurricane Milton’s interference, but 80% of the 450+ registrants attended, a pleasing surprise for Drone Nerds leadership. Representatives from top drone service providers (DSP) like DJI, Teledyne FLIR, DroneDeploy, Aloft, Sentera, and a few dozen other DSPs packed the vendor hallways. Czech Republic-based Dronetag represented the only non-U.S. company looking to break into the North American market with a novel design for reliable UAV tracking. New drone manufacturer Anzu Robotics, an American company that offers an alternative to DJI’s widely popular Mavic 3 Enterprise platform, demonstrated the Raptor’s ability to compete 1:1 against the industry’s most prolific commercial-off-the-shelf, multi-rotor design.

ElevateUAV2024, now a resounding success, will most likely return to South Florida in February 2026. A larger venue may be required to support expected attendance increases and vendor participation going into the next annual conference. A common anthem at this year’s conference could be heard, and even felt, as sUAS professionals placed emphasis on new topics like country of origin, supply chain issues, and misinformed political offices in the backdrop of an election year and resultant political shifts. Conference speakers cautioned significant anticipated and unanticipated events could transpire over the next year, for better or worse, and the sUAS industry had better be ready for these challenges. In an industry that thrives on change, adaptability, and challenge, North American UAS stakeholders sit yet again on the verge of greatness in developing societal solutions through technological applications.

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Read more:

• Leadership Resistance, Training Hurdles, and More: Overcoming Challenges of Implementing a Drone Program, from the Experts at DroneNerds
• Q6 V3 UAV: A Powerful New Drone Revolutionizing Public Safety Operations
• Elevate UAV 2024: Advancing Drone Technology Through Education, Innovation, and Community in Miami

T. Seth Ford is a US Marine Corps combat veteran who flew attack helicopters and small drones in combat zones and assisted in small UAS testing and evaluation. Seth holds degrees, certificates, and licenses across multiple fields and disciplines and is currently seeking an MS in Uncrewed and Autonomous Systems at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He is the founder and principal pilot of drone615.net in Nashville, TN.