Canberra, March 10-11, 2021
The Australian Association for Unmanned Systems’ “RPAS in Australian Skies 2021” conference is an important strategic event aimed at the continuing discussion on the safe integration of RPAS into Australian Airspace. It is supported by key government and industry participants and has established itself as a landmark event in the Australian RPAS calendar.
RPAS in Australian Skies 2021 will be the first face to face event for AAUS in over 12 months.
Event Themes
The themes will cover:
- Policy and Regulatory updates from the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications, CASA, AirServices Australia and the Australian Defence Force relating to the use of emerging aviation technology in Australia.
- UAS Traffic Management (UTM), low level airspace, integrated airspace systems challenges and opportunities.
- Industry challenges and perspectives
- Continuing development of a professional and safe industry.
- ATSB RPAS data and trends
- Emerging technology and innovative solutions enabling integration or RPAS into Australian airspace.
- Future infrastructure requirements to enable drone delivery and advanced air mobility (AAM).
- Emerging RPAS and AAM applications – benefits, viability and social acceptance.
- Summary and Panel session focussing on current and future work of AAUS membership working groups.
Event Format
RPAS in Australian Skies 2021 will be a hybrid event incorporating face to face (live) and online (virtual) choices for participants. We hope that this offers flexibility for Australian and International delegates to participate in the current COVID environment.
Conference participants will be able to register as a Live or Virtual delegate where:
- Live registration includes attendance to the conference in person in Canberra, and
- Virtual registration includes attendance to the conference via an online virtual platform and does not give the ability to attend in person.
The conference will include both formal presentations and audience interactive panel sessions.
There will be an opportunity for international virtual presentations streamed to the conference as well
as virtual attendance.
In addition, there will be exhibition space for exhibitors and sponsors.
There will be plenty of time to network throughout the event during fully catered morning, afternoon and lunch breaks.
This year we are introducing pre event networking drinks on the evening prior to the first day of the conference.



Event Schedule
Tuesday March 9, 2021
1700 – 1800: Welcome Networking Drinks
Wednesday March 10, 2021
Time | Presentation / Activity | Presenter |
---|---|---|
0900 | Conference Opening | |
0910 | Keynote Address - Department | Simon Atkinson (DITRDC) |
0940 | Keynote Address - CASA | TBC (CASA) |
1005 | Keynote Address - Airservices | Jason Harfield (Airservices Australia) |
1030 | Morning Tea | |
1100 | Keynote Address - ATSB | Greg Hood (ATSB) |
1125 | CASA RPAS Update | Luke Gumley (CASA) |
1150 | Innovation at Airservices- the Integrated Airspace Program | Kristian Cruickshank (Airservices Australia) |
1215 | Laying the platform to grow Queensland's Autonomous Systems Sector | RADM (Ret) Simon Cullen (QLD Gov) |
1240 | Lunch | |
1340 | Providing safe, reliable and sustainable access to the skies | Eric Peck (Swoop Aero) |
1405 | EVLOS - The Challenges and Rewards | John Morrison (Morrison Aerial Robotics) |
1430 | BVLOS Operations in Australia - An Operators Perspective | Paul Herrmann (Textron Systems Australia) |
1455 | Uber Air on demand vs Longer range shuttle flights - What makes more sense? | Clem Newton-Brown (SkyPortz) |
1520 | Afternoon Tea | |
1550 | AAUS Working Group Panel: Giving Industry a Considered Voice | Panelists: Andrew Duggan (Insitu Pacific), Jackie Dujmovic (Hover UAV), Joe McMahon (SUASROV), Clem Newton-Brown (SkyPortz), John Perkins (JFP Services) |
1700 | End day 1 conference | |
1900 | Gala Dinner |
Thursday March 11, 2021
Time | Presentation / Activity | Presenter |
---|---|---|
0900 | ASSURE Research and Activities Update | Lux Luxion (ASSURE) |
0925 | Detect and Avoid System Certification and the pathway towards Integration of Large UAS into Civilian Airspace | Fateh Khan & Tim Bleakley (General Atomics Aeronautical Systems) |
0950 | Safe integration of advanced autonomy into unmanned aircraft systems | Hunter Hudson (Northrop Grumman) |
1015 | TBC | TBC (Wing) |
1040 | Morning Tea | |
1110 | SkyGuardian and Triton in Australian Skies | WGCDR Keirin Joyce (RAAF) |
1135 | A Probabilistic Methodology to Characterize UAS Ground Risk to Inform Operational Decision-Making | Dr Reuben Strydom (Australian Defence Force) |
1200 | TAS DCRC Autonomy Accreditation Program | Tom Putland (TAS DCRC) |
1225 | Understanding autonomy and the importance of meaningful human control in civil aviation | Dr Zena Assaad (ANU) |
1250 | Lunch | |
1350 | Building Australia's Scalable Drone Cloud | Dr Rohan Clarke (Monash University) |
1415 | Spotter-AI Suite now paired with Ultra-Low Latency | Dr Paul Scully-Power (The Ripper Group) |
1440 | Software Defined Radio Flight Inspection Technology | Peggy MacTavish (Hensoldt Australia) |
1505 | Afternoon Tea | |
1535 | Unmanned (RPAS) Laser Scanning - Where are we now and what should we expect in the near future? | Glenne Blyth (Riegl) |
1600 | How professional RPAS Training has changed Operational practices | Wayne Condon (UAV Training Australia) |
1625 | The Next Generation RPAS Pilots training | David Mann (UAVAIR) |
1650 | End Conference |
Gala Dinner
The AAUS Gala Dinner incorporating industry awards will run alongside the RPAS in Australian Skies 2021 conference.
The Gala Dinner is available at additional cost and provides a great opportunity to celebrate industry achievements and network with key industry and government delegates.
The AAUS Gala Dinner will be held on the evening of Wednesday March 10, 2021 in the Hotel Realm Ballroom. You can package the cost of the Gala Dinner with registration for your team under our sponsorship packages.
Pre Event Networking Drinks
All conference delegates are invited to attend our pre-event networking drinks function on the eve of the conference on Tuesday, March 9, 2021.
This is included in your registration fee.
Sponsorship Opportunities
Exciting sponsorship and exhibition opportunities are available.
Sponsorship and Exhibition Opportunities
RPAS in Australian Skies 2021 Terms and Conditions
Registration
- Early Bird Registration is now open and will run until 11:59 pm on January 15, 2021.
- Standard rates will apply after that date.
- Pricing is Ex-GST.
- We have built in safe guards to address financial risk for delegates in the event of COVID-19 restrictions. For more information, please refer to RPAS in Australian Skies 2021 Terms and Conditions
Registration Type | Early Bird | Standard |
---|---|---|
AAUS Member (Live) | $675 | $750 |
AAUS Member (Live) plus Gala Dinner | $825 | $900 |
AAUS Member (Virtual) | $440 | $490 |
AAUS Member (Free Virtual Session)* | $0 | $0 |
Government (Live) | $675 | $750 |
Government (Live) plus Gala Dinner | $825 | $900 |
Government (Virtual) | $440 | $490 |
Industry (Live) | $765 | $850 |
Industry (Live) plus Gala Dinner | $915 | $1000 |
Industry (Virtual) | $530 | $590 |
Gala Dinner | $150 | $150 |
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What’s Included in your Registration?
Live Registration
- Access to all conference sessions at The Realm in Canberra during March 10-11, 2021
- Access to recorded conference sessions (for post conference viewing)
- Access to Industry Exhibition area during March 10-11, 2021
- Conference Catering (Morning Tea, Lunch and Afternoon Tea)
- Pre Event Networking Drinks ticket (on evening of March 9, 2021)
- Conference Program
Live plus Gala Dinner Registration
- As above
- Gala Dinner ticket (on evening of March 10, 2021)
Virtual Registration
- Virtual access to all conference sessions
- Access to recorded conference sessions
Free Virtual Session Registration
- Virtual access to AAUS working groups session (2 hours on March 11)
- (For AAUS members only)
Gala Dinner Registration
- Gala Dinner ticket (on evening of March 10, 2020)
Doma Hotel Accommodation Offer for Conference Delegates
Doma Hotels have offered the following discounts on room rates for AAUS conference delegates:
Doma Hotels AAUS Booking Offer
Sponsors
Exhibitors