All the Drone Events We’re Looking Forward to in 2023
BY Zacc Dukowitz
31 January 20232023 is shaping up to be a great year for drone conferences and events.
Although COVID-19 isn’t over, we are finally starting to emerge from the conference slump that it created, and this is the year we expect to see in-person drone events fully return in force.
Here are the top drone events that we’re excited about this year, listed in chronological order.
Geo Week—February
- Date: February 13-15
- Location: Denver, Colorado
Geo Week is an event focused on the “intersection of geospatial and the built world”—think 3D models for everything.
More and more, drones and the data they collect are an important part of the geospatial and 3D modeling world, with aerial visual and LiDAR data driving new uses and applications for 3D models across many industries.
LEARN MORE
Drone Racing League’s MIAMI 3-0-FLY—February
- Date: February 25, 2023
- Location: Miami, Florida
Watch the top drone pilots in the world race the world’s fastest drones—in Miami.
This Drone Racing League (DRL) event will take place at loanDepot park, transforming the baseball stadium into a video-game inspired, neon-colored aerial course where drone pilots will race at speeds up 90 MPH.
LEARN MORE
Amsterdam Drone Week—March
- Date: March 21-23, 2023
- Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Amsterdam Drone Week is one of the premier annual drone events of Europe.
This year, the DroneHybrid event will bring together drone communities with those working in Urban Air Mobility (i.e., drone taxis), providing a global platform for sharing knowledge on cutting edge technology, new innovations, and regulations.
LEARN MORE
Drone Soccer National Championship—April
Credit: CNY Drones
- Date: April 16, 2023
- Location: Utica, New York
Drone soccer is a fun new phenomenon that’s been taking the U.S. by storm, getting students excited about STEM subjects in general and drone technology in particular.
Drone soccer requires drones to crash into each other, with a goal being scored when a drone makes it through an aerial hoop (as shown in the photo above).
Matches will be held in January and February this year, followed by regional championships in March. 16 winning teams from regionals will go on to compete in the national championships in April at the SUNY Polytechnic Institute in Utica, New York
If you get a chance to catch one of these matches, or even just watch a recording on YouTube, it’s well worth the time to see how this sport combines drone enthusiasm with the sheer love of crashing things into each other.
LEARN MORE
Law-Tech Connect Workshop—May
- Date: May 8, 2023
- Location: Denver, Colorado
The Law-Tech Connect workshop is a one-day educational event put on in partnership with AUVIS focused on the intersection of the law and drone technology.
According to AUVSI, the Law Tech-Connect workshop will provide “one-of-a-kind legal, regulatory and policy knowledge relating to uncrewed systems, autonomy and advanced air mobility.”
The event isn’t only for lawyers, though lawyers are welcome and encouraged to attend.
LEARN MORE
AUVSI XPONENTIAL 2023—May
- Date: May 8-11, 2023
- Location: Denver, Colorado
XPONENTIAL is the leading annual gathering for global leaders and end users of uncrewed technologies. Founded on a belief that cross-pollination drives innovation, it’s the only event designed to advance the entire autonomy ecosystem. Each year, we welcome thousands of the industry’s top minds to cultivate collaboration, spark new ideas, and this year, build the blueprint for autonomy. XPONENTIAL is a catalyst – helping each attendee transform their vision into real opportunities.
LEARN MORE
Energy Drones & Robotics Coalition’s 7th Annual Summit—June
- Date: June 12-14, 2023
- Location: Houston, Texas
Though a relatively smaller event, EDRC is incredibly high quality for those looking to really understand how drones and robotics are being used in the field, especially in the Power Generation and Oil & Gas industries.
It’s important to note that the event’s focus isn’t just on drones.
According to its organizers, EDRC is the “largest event in the world for UAVs, Robotics & Data/AI/ML, exclusively focused on the business and technology of unmanned systems, automation and data/AI in energy & industrial operations.”
LEARN MORE
Commercial UAV Expo—September
- Date: September 5-7
- Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Commercial UAV Expo has shouldered out the competition to become one of—if not the—biggest commercial drone shows in the U.S.
The talks at the event are always of high quality, and it’s the place to be if you work in the drone industry and want to network, run into old friends, look for work, or look for new employees.
This year, topics that will be covered at Commercial UAV Expo include drone delivery, drones in forestry, drones in mining, drones in public safety and security, and many more.
LEARN MORE
DroneX—September
- Date: September 26-27
- Location: London, U.K.
DroneX is one of the biggest drone events in the U.K.—this year, over 3,000 people are expected to attend from every corner of the drone industry.
It’s also one of the top drone conferences for product launches and for showcasing the latest tech from some of the biggest drone companies in the world, especially those based in Europe.
LEARN MORE
InterGeo 2023—October
- Date: October 10-12
- Location: Berlin, Germany
InterGEO is one of the biggest conferences in the world focused on surveying and geospatial data collection and processing.
Naturally, drones are a big part of the event, since they present one of the most quickly emerging tools that geospatial and surveyors use to collect data in the field.
The focus this year at InterGEO will be on “tomorrow’s technology trends and the importance of digital realities.”
