London played host to an unforgettable edition of Aerial Cities in 2024, where key stakeholders, industry leaders, and government representatives came together to unlock the future of advanced air mobility (AAM) and drone integration into urban environments. Taking place on 13-14 November 2024, this exclusive, invitation-only event fostered essential discussions on revenue generation, regulatory frameworks, and strategic partnerships to drive the drone industry forward.
At the GSMA Auditorium, Aerial Cities 2024 attendees explored a total of thirteen panel sessions covering critical advancements in electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft and AAM, the challenges of airspace modernisation, investor perspectives on scaling businesses and funding strategies, enabling Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations, drone technology adoption, maritime lessons for cities, the path to SAIL IV certification, and more.
One of the key themes that emerged throughout the event was the urgent need for cities to shift from theoretical discussions to practical drone integration. As urban air mobility (UAM) moves from concept to reality, success will depend on aligning regulation, public engagement, and economic viability. Aerial Cities 2024 highlighted that while innovators like the cities of Hamburg and Coventry demonstrate the immediate value of urban drone use, regulatory gaps, such as in Dublin, remain a major barrier. Scalable growth also depends on technological advancements like AI and detect-and-avoid systems, but without clear demand and regulatory certainty, progress stalls. Investors are now prioritising commercial viability over hype, favouring companies that can navigate regulation, build strategic partnerships, and prove market demand. The future of aerial mobility will belong to those who integrate technology, policy, and public trust to create a sustainable and profitable ecosystem.
An exclusive gathering of industry leaders for an elite networking experience
This year’s conference gathered an impressive delegation of over 170 executives, including 35+ AAM and drone companies, 8+ Civil Aviation Authorities (CAAs), 10+ city and government representatives, as well as key investors, first responders, and telecom and mobility firms.
Our executive-level event provided a platform for innovation and collaboration, ensuring that cities, businesses, and governments could align their visions and capabilities for a sustainable and efficient aerial future. The attendee list reflected the growing importance of aerial mobility in shaping the cities of the future.
Specifically, Aerial Cities 2024 featured the attendance and sponsorship of several innovative and inspiring organisations, such as GSMA, Ondas Holdings, Kongsberg Geospatial, Unisphere GmbH, Switzerland Global Enterprise (S-GE), MoWiN.net, Hansadrone, DMD Solutions, BCN Drone Center, blueflite, Murzilli Consulting, HHLA Sky GmbH, AVSS, Iridium, Volatus Aerospace, ResilienX, ATC Network, ST Engineering, Unmanned Airspace, Unmanned Systems Technology, Advanced Air Mobility International, Future Transport-News, Aerospace Defense Review, Jedsy, Moonrock Drone Insurance, skyzr, Gotonomi, Amazon Prime Air, Mobility Makers, NUAIR, and Nokia.
The invitation-only nature of Aerial Cities 2024 ensured high-value interactions among C-level executives, regulators, and key industry stakeholders from around the world. The event’s structured networking sessions, alongside an exclusive gala dinner for speakers, sponsors, and government representatives, provided an unparalleled opportunity to forge strategic alliances and accelerate the implementation of AAM and drone solutions.
Our thirteen panel discussions
Throughout Aerial Cities 2024, speakers placed a strong emphasis on practical solutions, investment, and the real-world application of drone technology.
Throughout the two event days, Aerial Cities featured thirteen engaging panels sessions, with topics covering:
- Emerging trends and the evolving landscape of aerial cities – An analysis of the latest trends, challenges, and successes in integrating aerial mobility into urban environments.
- Trends and opportunities: An industry perspective on the past successes and challenges ahead – Exploring sustainable business models and the alignment of technology, regulation, and profitability in the drone industry.
- Investor views on scaling businesses – Insights from private and public sector investors on navigating market challenges and identifying high-growth opportunities in the drone and eVTOL sectors.
- Funding a scalable business model – A deep dive into what makes ventures attractive to investors and how companies can secure funding for long-term growth.
- eVTOL and AAM - A step closer to reality? – A discussion on the progress, challenges, and adoption timeline of eVTOL technologies in urban air mobility.
- Airspace modernisation and the governance layers challenge: How are state, regional and local authorities winning the coordination challenge? – An important conversation about the efforts being made to streamline processes and improve regulatory frameworks, supporting the growing drone and AAM sectors.
- Enabling BVLOS operations at scale – Examining regulatory pathways and strategies to achieve BVLOS operations at scale.
- The needs of maritime operations – Can we export their lessons to entire cities? – Exploring how drone success in maritime operations can be applied to urban environments.
- Adoption of drone technology, BVLOS in focus - What are the users' needs? Part 1 – Understanding industry needs and challenges in large-scale BVLOS drone adoption.
- Successful proof of concepts challenging to scale – Insights from companies on overcoming operational and manufacturing hurdles for scalable drone businesses.
- Adoption of drone technology, BVLOS in focus - What are the users' needs? Part 2 – Continuing the discussion on end-user needs and industry advancements in BVLOS drone applications.
- A perspective on smart cities – Examining how smart mobility, infrastructure, and AI-driven technologies shape the future of urban living.
- The path to SAIL IV operations – Exploring the regulatory and technological steps needed to achieve the highest level of drone operational approval.
Key takeaways: Cities must align regulation, public engagement, and economic viability to scale market-ready urban drone operations
One of the main insights from Aerial Cities 2024 was that cities are navigating an urban airshift where they are moving from theoretical discussions to real-world integration of drones and aerial transport. This is no longer a question of if but how, and cities that actively shape their regulatory frameworks and public engagement strategies are setting the pace. Hamburg’s drone port demonstrates the power of physical infrastructure in driving adoption, while Coventry’s real-world applications — from bridge inspections to highway monitoring — highlight the importance of proving immediate value before chasing futuristic air taxis.
However, regulatory gaps, like Dublin’s lack of drone-specific planning laws, remain a major roadblock, showing that policy must evolve alongside technology. Madrid’s cautious, step-by-step regulation approach and the UK’s push for digitised compliance suggest that overregulation too early could slow down innovation — but without structure, rogue operators threaten safe airspace management. Without a doubt, public perception will make or break aerial mobility, and cities that proactively educate and engage their citizens, like Hamburg through live demonstrations and surveys, will lead the way in mainstream drone adoption.
Another major insight from Aerial Cities 2024 is that three factors must align for the drone industry to move beyond proof-of-concept and achieve true commercial scalability: regulatory certainty, technological innovation, and economic viability. Companies like Manna have proven profitability through high-volume drone deliveries, but inconsistent BVLOS regulations limit large-scale expansion, forcing operators to navigate fragmented rules across different regions. A unified regulatory framework — even an imperfect one — would unlock investment and growth, as highlighted by Skyports and Amazon Prime Air.
On the technology side, detect-and-avoid systems, satellite integration, and AI-driven autonomy are essential to ensuring safety and efficiency in dense urban environments. However, as Volatus Aerospace stressed, none of this will matter if businesses fail to identify real, scalable demand — not just innovation for innovation’s sake. Drone companies, regulators, and infrastructure providers must work together to build a sustainable ecosystem where operations are profitable, scalable, and seamlessly integrated into the wider aviation landscape.
Discussions at Aerial Cities 2024 also made it clear that the aerial mobility investment landscape has shifted from hype to hard reality, with investors prioritising scalability, regulatory readiness, and adaptability over pure technological innovation. Startups can no longer rely on proof-of-concept alone — they must demonstrate clear market demand, viable business models, and strong teams capable of pivoting in a rapidly evolving industry.
While funding has tightened since 2021, investors still see immense long-term potential, particularly for businesses that can navigate regulatory complexities and secure strategic partnerships. However, as panellists noted, companies waiting for regulation to catch up risk falling behind those that proactively engage with policymakers and adapt to shifting market conditions. Ultimately, the aerial mobility winners of 2025 and beyond will be those that can bridge the gap between innovation regulation, public engagement, and commercial viability, ensuring both investor confidence and industry sustainability.
Did you miss the event? Watch the highlights video now!
If you haven’t already, check out our Aerial Cities 2024 highlights video on YouTube for an inside look at the groundbreaking discussions and key moments from the event. See first-hand how the future of urban air mobility is taking shape!
Get ready for Aerial Cities 2025 – Dublin awaits!
The journey doesn’t stop here! We are thrilled to announce that for the first time ever, Aerial Cities will take place in Dublin, at Dublin City Hall, on 11-12 November 2025. Mark your calendars and stay tuned for more details as we bring together the world’s top AAM and drone stakeholders to continue shaping the aerial cities of tomorrow.
See you in Dublin!
Are you interested in being at the forefront of drone technology? Check out our sponsorship opportunities for Aerial Cities 2025 here!
