RPAS in Australian Skies 2025

Conference Themes

• RPAS related policy and regulatory updates from Australian and international government bodies
• UAS Traffic Management (UTM), low level airspace and integrated airspace systems
• Industry challenges and perspectives
• Continuing development of a professional and safe industry
• Emerging technologies and innovative solutions enabling RPAS integration in Australian airspace
• Emerging applications - benefits, viability and social acceptance​
• Case studies of drone use and challenges in emergency services, infrastructure inspection, delivery, mining, science and agriculture
• Advanced Air Mobility
• Drone cyber security threats and management

Event Format

The conference will take place over two days and will be launched with networking drinks on the evening prior to Day one.

Monday 16th June - Pre-Event Networking Drinks
Tuesday 17th June - Conference Day 1 / Gala Dinner and Industry Awards 
Wednesday 18th June - Conference Day 2 

Program

Monday 16 June

Time	Activity	Location
1700-1800	AAUS Pre-Event Networking Drinks (inclusive for all registered delegates of the conference)	Melbourne Foyer, Hotel Realm

Melbourne Foyer, Hotel Realm

Tuesday 17 June

Conference, National Ballroom, Hotel Realm

Time	Activity / Presentation	Presenter
0800	Registration and Barista Coffee
	Session 1:  Policy and Regulation
0900	Welcome	Andrew Crowe (AAUS President)
0910	Keynote presentation	Department of Infrastructure (invited)
0930	Keynote presentation	Pip Spence (CASA)
0950	Keynote presentation	Rob Sharp (Airservices Australia)
1010	Q&A Session	Session Speakers
1030	Morning Tea	Melbourne Foyer, Hotel Realm
	Session 2:  Airspace Integration
1100	Session Introduction	Moderator: Reece Clothier (Boeing)
1105		Sharon Marshall-Keeffe (Airservices Australia)
1125	Australian Digital Airspace Characterisation: Accelerating Regulatory Processes and Airspace Initiatives for the Emerging Aviation Technology Sector	Aaron McFadyen (QUT)
1145		Christine Boag-Hodgson - AFAF - invited
1205
1225	Lunch	Melbourne Foyer, Hotel Realm
	Session 3: AAM
1315	Session Introduction	Moderator: Natasha Santha (LEK)
1317	Solving regional connectivity in Australia through air mobility – how RPAS and AAM are key to Australia’s future	Peter Smith (Swinburne University)
1329	Advanced Air Mobility Simulator: Opportunities on the way to commercialization of VTOLS	Mirjam Wiedemann (UNSW)
1341	Hydrogen in the Advanced Aviation Landscape - Regulatory and Industry Perspectives	Steve Smyth (CAANZ)
1353	City Vertiport Management: Getting Reay for the Future	Natalie Davies-White (HoverSafe)
1405	The AURA-e Electric Flight Demonstrator: ultra-long range with ultra-short takeoff and landing to unlock cost-effective regional cargo at scale	Graham Doig (UNSW)
1417	Panel Discussion	Session Speakers
1445	Afternoon Tea	Melbourne Foyer, Hotel Realm
	Session 4: Agricultural Applications
1515	Session Introduction	Moderator:
1518	High-Tech, High-Risk!  The Case for Smarter RPAS Policy in Agriculture	John Fleming (FPV Australia)
1530	More than spraying – maintaining social licence	Matt Harper (AAAA)
1542	Are rural BVLOS regulations blocking emerging industries?	Luke Chaplin (SkyKelpie)
1554
1606	Panel Discussion	Session Speakers
1630	Conference Close (Day 1)
18:30 -    2200	AAUS Gala Dinner and Industry Awards (for all registered delegates of the Gala Dinner)	National Ballroom, Hotel Realm

Wednesday 18 June

Conference, National Ballroom, Hotel Realm

Time	Activity / Presentation	Presenter
0800	Registration and Barista Coffee
	Session 5:  Innovative Applications
0900	Welcome	Moderator: Jackie Dujmovic (Hover UAV)
0905	The Birth of an Industry: Wash Drones’ Journey to Redefine Cleaning	Craig Lamont (Wash Drones)
0917	From Prototype to Production: Rapid Innovation in Sovereign UAS Capabilities	Ross McKinnon (Grabba Technologies)
0929	Transforming Powerline Inspections: From Crewed Flights to Scalable Drone Operations	Ben Dawson (Endeavour Energy)
0941	Scaling Drone-in-a-Box Operations: From Pilot Projects to Full Deployment	Adam Welsh (DJI)
0953	Sentinels of Sea Country – How drones and AI are supporting for First Nation-Led action in managing Ghost Nets and Marine Debris	Andrew Jansen (DCCEEW), Tiwi Rangers, Northern Territory and Nanum Wungthim Rangers, Narpranum (Qld)
1005	Panel Discussion	Session Speakers
1030	Morning Tea	Melbourne Foyer, Hotel Realm
	Session 6:  Challenges for RPAS as First Responders
1100	Session Introduction	Moderator: Paul Hardy (DCCEEW, AAUS)
1105		Wayne Rigg (FRV)
1117	Ten years on: Australia’s Challenges in BVLOS RPAS for Emergency Response	Andrew Duggan (Insitu Pacific)
1129	Drone as a First Responder (DFR) Case Study: Brinc Drones and Codan DTC	Rob Garth (Codan / DTC)
1141	Docks in the Dust - The path forward where the road stops	Renee Bartolo & Coleby Thew (DCCEEW)
1153	Panel Discussion	Session Speakers
1220	Lunch	Melbourne Foyer, Hotel Realm
	Session 7: Training
1320	Session Introduction	Moderator:
1323	"Tiered Approach to RPAS Licensing” and “AAM Skills Gap Analysis"	Mori Hajizadeh (Industry Skills Australia)
1335	Uncrewed Training into the future "A professional and safe Industry"	Wayne Condon (TOLL Aviation)
1347	Removing ambiguity of performance for human and machine	Keith Thomas (EPE)
1359
1411	Panel Discussion	Session Speakers
1435	Afternoon Tea	Melbourne Foyer, Hotel Realm
	Session 8: Industry Compliance
1500	Session Introduction	Moderator: Alana Flack (Trendspek)
1503	Flying into Compliance: What the New Privacy Law Reforms Mean for the Drone Industry	Tom PIls (Macmillan Lawyers and Advisors)
1515	Drone Cybersecurity: An Overview of Key Vulnerabilities	Ben Luther (Nova Systems)
1527	Stakeholder Engagement: More Than a Box to Tick	Luke Horjus (RocketDNA)
1539	AAUS announcement - Industry Initiatives	Greg Tyrrell (AAUS Executive Director)
1551	Panel Discussion	Session Speakers
1620	Closing Remarks
16:30	End of Conference

Registration 

Delegate Type	Early Bird Price	Normal Price
AAUS Member	$660	$770
Non-Member	$760	$895
Government	$660	$770
Student**	$500	$500
Gala Dinner	$180	$205